Information technology abroad: New user interface developed

Apple has applied for an original patent, offering a new user interface that combines a compact projector, an internal communication system and gesture recognition system. The new patent Projected Display Shared Workspaces allows users to interact with images projected on the wall by compact devices such as iPhone and iPad.

The patent application states that electronic devices already available on the market are able, in the theory, to operate with the new system, however, it is noted, that such solutions are unlikely to suit large groups of spectators, since the projected image is too small, but in order to realize the idea to ​​"share" the desktop between a group of users, the emitter would have to be handed from one user to another, which is inconvenient.

Apple claims that in order to compensate for this inconvenience, the new system should operate with many more powerful projection systems, such as holographic lasers, LED-projectors and others. The system also provides for a union of several projection devices that transmit images on the wall. The transmission is possible either directly by devices or through an intermediary device.

The system allows its users to work with Apple's traditional gesture interface, moving objects between devices. Fixing is of movements is done by means of the camera. Before transmitting a file, user-recipient can see the content of the file while it is still on the transmitter through the built-in preview facility.

The Apple acknowledged that the proposed interface is a completely new solution and in order to implement it, some technological innovations would have to be introduced into the devices, in particular, significantly rewrite the software and change the file system, which is hidden from the applications in current versions of iPhone and iPad.