Contemporary Computer Technology - Essay Example

In general terms, Skinput is an attempt to appropriate the human body as an input interface. Skinput is a novel bio-acoustic sensing system developed by Chris Harrison from Carnegie Mellon University and Disney Tan and Dan Morris, employees at Microsoft Research.  From the practical viewpoint, Skinput represents a bio-acoustic sensing array coupled with a small-size pico-projector, which turns the user’s skin into a touch-screen.   The system of acoustic sensors identifies signals produced with our fingers onto the skin surface, utilizing the skin as an input surface.   Chris Harrison’s invention of Skinput rests on the idea that human skin constitutes an ideal input device:  humans have roughly 22 square feet of skin area, which is accessible by hands and proprioception (understanding of how an individual’s body is configured in three-dimensional space) enables users to accurately interact with their bodies in an eyes-free manner (Harrison et al, 2010).

HINPUTPUT WORKS

Unlike previous examples of always-available input systems, Sk the input idea is largely based on the principles of bio-sensing and acoustic transmission.  Bio-sensing technology has been utilized in diagnostic medicine with electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (firs) being notable examples (Harrison et al, 2010).  Simultaneously, the principles of acoustic transmission have been applied to support the idea of the skin being used as a finger input surface.  From a practical standpoint, when a finger taps the skin, the impact creates a magnitude of useful acoustic signals.  IT captures these signals; Chris Harrison’s team developed a special bio-acoustic sensing array.  During the series of experiments, Chris Harrison and his colleagues opted in for a sensing array built into an armband.  This bio-acoustic sensing array aimed to detect vibrations transmitted through the body is comprised of two sensor packages each containing five cantilevered piezo films responsive to a particular frequency range.  Because variations in bone density, muscle size, and filtering effect produced by soft tissues and joints make different locations being acoustically distinct, Skinput software analyzes impacts and classifies them (Harrison et al, 2010).  In addition, Skinput’s armband works with a special purpose pico-projector, which allows various interactive elements to be displayed on the skin (see Figure 1 for a complete illustration of the Skinput device).

Figure 1. Skinput technology.

HOW INPUT WILL BE USED

During the series of their study, Chris Harrison et al. illustrated the range of Skinput’s applications, most of which were concerned with tap-based interfaces.  In the first example, the researchers projected a series of buttons onto the forearm, on which a user can finger tap to navigate a hierarchical menu (Harrison et al, 2010).  The second example reveals how an individual uses a scrolling menu tapping the top or bottom of his forearm.  The third example illustrates a projection of a numeric keypad, which can be tapped to dial a phone number.  From the practical perspective, thanks to embedded program algorithms, Skinput’s interface can accurately identify users’ gestures in motion, for instance, during the walk.  Moreover, Skinput has the built-in interface of wireless connection Bluetooth, which allows it to be connected to virtually any electronic device, e.g., iPod or mobile phone. 

SKINPUT’S ADVANTACOMPAREDRING WITH EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES

From the technological perspective, Skinput belongs to always-available input systems that do not require users to carry devices.   Before Skinput, primary examples of always-available input systems were solutions based on computer vision and speech input (see Figure 2).  These solutions have not found wide application due to the former being computationally expensive and error-prone, while the latter being limited in unpredictable acoustic situations and having serious privacy concerns.   Other always-available input solutions included physical input devices embedded in users' clothing.   Those wearable computing solutions have been characterized as disruptive to tactile sensations, excessively expensive, and lacking comfort (Harrison et al, 2010).

Figure 2. Always-Available Input Systems.

POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGES OFINPUTT

Future practical applications of Skinput depend on whether the system and its armband prototypes can be scaled down to meet the requirements and needs of regular users in non-lab environments.

CONCLUSION

Skinput is a representation of a new approach to computer technology, namely a utilization of the human body an as input interface.  Although this technology is only developed in a prototype mode, its potential applications are broad and it already has significant advantages over other existing technology thus ensuing the human body for always-available input systems.  In the future when developers succeed in scaling the prototype down, we are likely to see more expanded opportunities for Skinput.