Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have demonstrated that touch-based interfaces can be created anywhere almost at will.
Scientists previously have shown that a depth camera system, such as Kinect, can be combined with a projector to turn almost any surface into a touchscreen.
The WorldKit system enables someone to rub the arm of a sofa to "paint" a remote control for TV or swipe a hand across an office door to post calendar from which subsequent users can "pull down" an extended version.
Researchers at the university's Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) used a ceiling-mounted camera and projector to record room geometries, sense hand gestures and project images on desired surfaces.
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However, Robert Xiao, an HCII doctoral student, said WorldKit does not require such an elaborate installation.
"Depth sensors are getting better and projectors just keep getting smaller," he said.
"We envision an interactive 'light bulb' - a miniaturised device that could be screwed into an ordinary light fixture and pointed or moved to wherever an interface is needed," he said.
Users can summon switches, message boards, indicator lights and a variety of other interface designs from a menu. Ultimately, the WorldKit team anticipates that users will be able to custom design interfaces with gestures.
The findings will be presented at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, in Paris.
Though WorldKit now focuses on interacting with surfaces, the researchers anticipate future work may enable users to interact with the system in free space.
Likewise, higher resolution depth cameras may someday enable the system to sense detailed finger gestures. In addition to gestures, the system also could be designed to respond to voice commands.