1. MIS Case Presentation
Apple, Microsoft, IBM, and Others:
The Touch Screen Comes of Age
Presented By- Group B 11
Nilesh Gadhve (12077)
Madhev Das (12086)
Shweta Pathak (12108)
Sreekanth K. (12110)
Vishak R.(12119)

2. Case Facts
 WIMP devices have dominated computing for several years
using GUI
 А touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect
the presence and location of a touch within the display
area.
 Emerging technologies
• Combined input and output technology- Touchscreen
• Mitsubishi’s Diamond Touch Table
o touch and gesture activated display
o Supports small group collaboration
o Identify the person who is touching it
 Reduced the dependence on memory for syntaxes

3.  Uses two types of technologies-
• Capacitive- It consists of an insulator, coated with a
transparent conductor. As the human body is also an electrical
conductor, touching the surface of the screen results in a
distortion of the screen's electrostatic field, measurable as a
change in capacitance. The location of the touch is
determined and then sent to the controller for processing.
• Resistive- It comprises several layers, the most important of
which are two thin, transparent electrically-resistive layers
separated by a thin space. A voltage is applied to one layer,
and sensed by the other. When an object presses down on the
outer surface, the two layers touch to become connected at
that point. By rapidly switching between each layer, the
position of a pressure on the screen can be read.

4. Implications
 Touch is the booming field of research
 Reality based interaction
 Virtual reality- is a term that applies to computer- simulated
environments that can simulate physical presence in places in
the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds.
 Context- aware computing
 Perceptual and affective computing- Affective computing is the
study and development of systems and devices that can
recognize, interpret, process, and simulate human affects.
 Tangible interaction- physical objects are recognized directly
by a computer
 Altogether, it is more like a real world

5. Apple Inc.
 Multinational corporation
 Sells consumer electronics, computer software and
personal computers
 Touchscreen Technology
• Apple’s iPhone has set an example- took human
computer interface to a new level
o Screen of iPhone can identify a variety of touches
and gestures
o Can handle multiple touches
o Example- using fingers to zoom in and zoom out
• iPod Touch
• iPad, iPad Mini
• MacBook Air

6. Microsoft
 Microsoft Corporation an American multinational
corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses and supports
a wide range of products and services related to computing.
 Microsoft’s Surface computer revolutionized the gadgets
• Puts input and output devices in a large tabletop
device that can accommodate touches and gestures
and recognize physical objects laid on it.
• Microsoft is also trying to implement Surface in
Starwood Hotels and Resorts
 Microsoft’s coffee table computer
 VIDEO

7. IBM
 IBM manufactures and markets computer hardware and
software and offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting
services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to
nanotechnology.
 IBM’s Everywhere Display Project-
• Any part of an ordinary room can be used to project
images using a projector.
• Video cameras capture the inputs of our touch and
interpret to the computer.
• Easily movable and reconfigured since it contains no
computer parts at all.
 Example- METRO Future Store in Germany used technology
to project wine details on the floor.
 IBM is also developing a prototype system for grocery
stores.

8. Changing Scenario…
 Anticipating the fusion of different interaction technologies
eliminating the separation between input and output devices.
 “Less is more- you try to get less and less stuff to reduce
complexity” is being changed to “More is actually less-more
of the right stuff in right place, and complexity disappears”.
 In future, desktop computers might be much the same as today.
But you can just throw stuff with the mouse or a gesture onto a
wall and then work with your gestures standing at the corner.
 “The challenge is without throwing the baby out with the bath
how do we reap the benefits of these new approaches while
preserving the best part of the things that exist.

9. Question 1
What benefits may Starwood Hotels derive
from the introduction of touch- screen
technology, as noted in the case? What
possible disruptions may occur as a result?
Provide several examples of each.

10.  Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the
leading hotel and leisure companies in the world.
 It introduced Microsoft Surface in 2007.
 The table includes a 30-inch display that uses infrared cameras
and a projector to create a 360-degree touch-screen that can
respond to multiple users' hand gestures, as well as interact with
other objects.
 It works without a traditional mouse or keyboard, allowing
people to interact with content and information by using their
hands and natural movements.
 Each Surface computer is reported to have cost Starwood around
$10,000.

11. Advantages
 People can hunt for photos and videos of Sheraton hotels around
the country, look up local businesses on a map, browsing and
listening to music, creating play lists, sending photos home,
downloading books, and even ordering food and drinks, all with
the drop of a credit card or their Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty
card.
 Guests will be able to view their choices in real time images before
they decide to avail them.
 Even in the restaurants the calorie values, availability reports,
ingredients etc. can be known instantly.

12.  Hotel guests can use the Surface computers as a virtual
concierge by means of applications such as
• City Tips- a program which uses Virtual Earth to help
guests find nearby restaurants and entertainment venues.
• Sheraton Snapshots- which lets you check out all the
other Sheraton hotels worldwide.
• The Sounds of Sheraton- which lets you play music
using the Surface as a jukebox.
 It takes away the pain of the long cues.

13.  Surface also features the ability to recognize physical objects that
have identification tags similar to bar codes. By simply setting a
“tagged” wine glass on the surface of the table, a Sheraton bar or
restaurant could provide guests and customers with information
on the wine, pictures of the vineyard it came from and suggested
food pairings tailored to the offered menu.
 As the machine is made to order, there is always a possibility for
change and evolution. Perhaps they can include games to keep
the guests, especially kids, interested.
 Also lending individuality – or a personality – to the table using
interactive 3D characters might be a wonderful business idea.

14. Disadvantages
 The failure of connectivity networks will affect the operations.
 While there is somewhat of a learning curve with the machines-it's
not immediately clear where or how to "click" the table.
 Some guests were using their hands rather than fingers to zoom
around the map and find their hometowns.
 It seemed that the table would appeal much more to teens than it
would adults.
 As Hotel industry is a service industry customer interaction and
relations should be at the highest level which is bypassed by this
machines.
 The human interaction and instant decision making cannot be
supplemented by machines.
 Rise in Unemployment as machines replace waiters and support
staff.

15. Examples
 Redbull- use surface computing in bars across Europe
 Fuji Films
 World Bank in Canada
 AT and T

16. Question 2
Bill Buxton of Microsoft stated that “Touch
now may be where the mouse was in about
1983.” What do you make of his comments,
and what do you think it would take for touch
technology to displace the WIMP interface?
Justify your answer.

17.  Even though mouse was founded in 1952, it became a part of the
personal computer only after 1983.
 It became popular when the Microsoft made the first PC-
Compatible mouse with initially making the popular MS-DOS
program- MS word compatible with mouse.
 We can compare this state of mouse in 1983 to that of touch
technology’s current state.
 The touch technology is being adopted increasingly to all
computing system due to the convenience it provides.

18.  WIMP interface is commonly used in most of the computing system
currently.
 For touch technology to displace WIMP interface completely, it will
require development of a software which is compatible to touch and
can be used commonly in all computing devices.
 The touch technology needs to be more affordable and more robust.

19. Question 3
Is advanced touch- screen technology
really a solution in search of a problem?
Do you agree with this statement? Why or
why not?

20.  Advanced touch screen technology is the need of the hour.
 All the gadgets from doors of safety lockers to flight entry
options all are being converted to touch pads.
 At this stage high and advanced touch technology is needed.
 There is also mild competition from advances like “SIRI”.
 Better Resistance and Reparability.
 Needs to still match with mouse.
.

21.  There is a growing demand for Tablets.
 Increase in screen size but decrease in thickness of the smart
phones with no keypads.
 The efficiency and sensitivity should be improved.
 Water resistant and shock resistant models should be designed.
 Usage of gorilla glass, AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-
emitting diode) is an advancement. New add-ons like touch
cover.
 Still needs improvement in performance.

22. References
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WIMP_(computing)
 http://www.apple.com/
 http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10016573-75.html
 http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/about/news/news_
release_detail.html?Id=2007-05-30-SI
 http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Microsoft-
Surface-tabletop-computers-debut-at-1282142.php
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BHA09wCArY
 http://channel9.msdn.com/blogs/coolstuff/sheratons-get-
surface