It really doesn’t get much cooler than this: New Scientist has covered the release of a 3D multi-touch table that lets users see a 3D scene, such as a cityscape, from their own perspective. The 3D glasses measure where you are and where you are looking AND you can “touch” the 3D environment. The table was demonstrated at the SIGGRAPH computer graphics and animation conference and you can watch a demo video at the New Scientist page.
If these are ever inexpensive enough to be readily accessible (like PlaceMatters DIY TouchTable and TouchScreen), the applications of this table for sustainability and comprehensive planning are clear. Users, whether they be planners or the public, could easily explore different choices and scenarios with 3D representations that would be a significant step forward in understanding scale, design and impact.
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[...] reporters at the SIGGRAPH computer graphics and animation conference in Los Angeles. In my post last week, I highlighted a multitouch 3D table, and this week it’s a zooming Pixar inspired table [...]