SBIR Phase I: Siftables - distributed, gestural human computer interaction

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to accelerate construction of humane, efficient and intuitive user interface (UI) - a system of small, wireless, gesture-sensitive displays that act in concert as one interface. People can efficiently execute cognitive tasks through spatial manipulation of groups of physical objects. New gesture-based UIs recently launched into the market indicate that market and technology conditions are right to develop multi-object interfaces - systems that elegantly connect the (increasingly smart) world of physical objects to networked digital information. If successful, the approach will provide a UI that can address a broad range of human-computer tasks, from media creation to data analysis to social communication. In the immediate term, a novel interactive entertainment system, building on existing, successful set of game applications will be deployed. Historically, the entertainment domain has provided a profitable staging area in which to introduce novel UI systems. This market is large, has price flexibility, and its consumers have a demonstrated desire for novel interactions. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).