Design and implementation of an FTIR camera-based multi-touch display

The personal computer is quickly becoming the center of an all-encompassing multimedia environment. An environment that spans information creation and exchange, entertainment, and near real-life experiential environment manipulation. With such a deluge of media experiences, a new Human-Computer Interface is needed to allow the user better direct manipulation of presented information. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a camera-based direct interaction multi-touch display. This display replaces the limited interaction afforded by the outdated display monitor and mouse with interactive hands-on manipulation. The paper discusses the different techniques possible for implementing such a display and documents the implementation based on the Frustrated Total Internal Reflection (FTIR) technology.