Turn any surface into a touchscreen with Kinect

Microsoft’s Kinect shipped originally for the Xbox 360 and was the company’s first foray into using a device with an integrated camera and microphone for interaction with a computer. The company later launched Kinect for Windows along with a robust development kit, allowing for all sorts of uses beyond gaming.

But Kinect may be finding an even bigger use in large, touchable displays, thanks to its accurate motion tracking.

A start-up company in America, called Ubi Interactive, wants to sell an application that uses Kinect and a connected projector to create a large, touchable display on any surface. The app starts from just $149 for a single touchable surface with support for displays up yo 45 inches in diagonal length.

The software uses Kinect to map the projector’s surface area and identify where areas can be touched. It then maps your hand gestures and interprets them as commands. The display can be projected in front of you and the software will ignore any other appendages or movements, or it can be shone on to a transparent display area and reversed, allowing the projector to be tucked away from prying fingers.

Ubi Interactive envisions a large range of potential applications: from map displays, to gesture-driven presentations, smartphone stands and even kiosks (I hope someone figures out an interactive board for use in classrooms). Because the technology doesn’t require a large, absurdly expensive touch screen, it would be easier to roll out services and software that people can interact with in an intuitive way.

The software only works with Kinect for now, with the company promising to add support for Kinect 2.0 in the future when it becomes available.

Ubi Interactive’s app can be bought from their website and includes software tools, beginner’s training and helpline support.