"Multitouch" mouses

[Marlonsm]

It seems MS is getting serious about multitouch, not on the screen, but on the mouse (more practical, IMO).
Take a look at this video, it shows the ideas they came up with.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3PZkpQThek

Really nice stuff there, maybe they'll also implement something like that for trackpads (or just leave notebooks using touchsreens).

But I've been wondering... when (if) it comes, will Ubuntu (or Linux distros) be ready for it? I really liked the concept.

I know we already have some multitouch gestures in the trackpad, but they aren't nearly as complex and nice as those.

[tom66]

Who wants to rotate and drag pictures around on their PC all day? Most people use computers to do work, not to mess with their photo library.

[shafin]

Multitouch does a lot to increase productivity other than rotating/dragging pictures. Most people use computers to do work,and most of them will benifit from multitouch.

[Exodist]

If I could just get a touchpad the size of a normal mouse pad with multitouch that would be better IMHO. But nice to see they are working on some interesting and possible good ideas.

[billdotson]

I haven't seen many applications that I would be interested in for this type of technology so far. There are however some applications that I think would be interesting for this type of interaction: the ability to play an RTS built for multi-touch and some image manipulation (3d models). However, there aren't even really any economical normal touchscreen monitors now. If single input touch monitors aren't really affordable for your normal user how is a multi-input touch device going to be? Why would anyone make a multitouch GUI, RTS, or program if the only people that had multi-touch screens were people that bought the 5000-10000 Microsoft surface table?

I do not really see this type of interaction increasing efficiency for office workers all that much. How much longer does it take just to drag the window to a larger size? Not long. There are even key combinations to intitiate a window resize and all you have to do is move your mouse.

The part of the demonstration video where the user is drawing with multiple fingers looks fairly pointless. Who is doing to draw that way? If anyone is going to do any detailed drawing they are probably going to be using a pen tablet of some kind. Again, if anyone sees something wrong in what I am saying correct me.

Also, for the infrared tracking mouse, I thought infrared touch sensing tech was relatively expensive and that is why most touch screens are resistive or capacitive. Am I incorrect?

[t0p]

"Mouses"... shouldn't that be "mice"? :confused:

Anyway, I say forget multi-touch and touch-screens and tablets and the rest of it. The future is the Wiimote.

Various hackers are working on using the Nintendo Wiimote to control the computer's on-screen pointer. And I don't mean using it in a straight swap for the mouse. Remember the scene in Minority Report where Tom Cruise is waving his hands around in the air to interact with his computer? Well, it's possible to do that via the Wiimote. Check out this Youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9agFWeFf_A), and this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0awjPUkBXOU). Kewl!!

(Okay, I realize this stuff is a couple of years old. But I like the idea more than I like my mouses... mice... whatever the heck you wanna call 'em. Grrr :( )

Incidentally, if anyone's interested in hacking the Wiimote, there's info on using the device with Ubuntu here (http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/linux-wiimote-via-bluetooth/) and here (http://zedomax.com/blog/2009/02/04/wii-hack-how-to-make-wii-remote-work-in-ubuntu/).

[t0p]

I do not really see this type of interaction increasing efficiency for office workers all that much. How much longer does it take just to drag the window to a larger size? Not long. There are even key combinations to intitiate a window resize and all you have to do is move your mouse.

The part of the demonstration video where the user is drawing with multiple fingers looks fairly pointless. Who is doing to draw that way? If anyone is going to do any detailed drawing they are probably going to be using a pen tablet of some kind. Again, if anyone sees something wrong in what I am saying correct me.


I don't see anything in particular wrong in what you're saying. But I would suggest that prior to the invention of the mouse, most computer users were satisfied with the keyboard. And some users today are still satisfied with the keyboard. But the majority of computer users use a mouse, whereasin the past they peobably wouldn't have seen the need for one.

It's like how telephony was dismissed as pointless in the age of the telegraph. And horse riders were appalled at the idea of the car. And there are countless other examples.

Just because you can't see the point in something, doesn't mean that thing is pointless.

[SunnyRabbiera]

The issue I see is with the mouse gestures, with so many gestures to consider it could be difficult to operate.
Its sort of the same reason I dont use operas mouse gestures.

[markbuntu]

Multitouch has been working its way into the x-server for a few years now and will hopefully be in the next release. It is not really a new idea, and definitely not a MS invention.

[Marlonsm]

Who wants to rotate and drag pictures around on their PC all day? Most people use computers to do work, not to mess with their photo library.
It does increase productivity, it'd really speed up things like editing images and 3D models, and will also support more mouse gestures, for example, to change the tab in the web browser.

[alienclone]

i saw nothing in that video that couldnt be done with a regular mouse.

[juancarlospaco]

The game is Cube, Open Source :)

[schauerlich]

Apple has had multitouch gestures on their trackpads for a few months now. I'm not sure if it's capable of the stuff in the video, though.

[Nausser]

Has anyone run across functionality for the new Wacom Bamboo Touch? I have one that I would really like to use in Ubuntu for basic navigation etc.

There seems to be quite a lot of multi touch/gesture out there but haven't yet seen direct support pertaining to this product. Looks like the LWP doesn't yet support it either.

[Favux]

Hi Nausser,

We're trying to get it working in this thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1290251 You're welcome to join us.

If we can get it going Ping at LWP says he'll add it to 0.8.4-4.

Obviously if touch works it won't be multi-touch. But the latest Xorg release now has MPX so it looks like it's coming.

[keiichidono]

Pretty cool stuff, makes me wanna go work at Microsoft....

[billdotson]

The technology is interesting but I don't see it being a ground-breaking user interface tool. I want interactive holograms :)

Ok, ok, until they get the bugs out of the 3d holograms I'll settle for a giant multi-touch screen that acts as a custom keyboard (depending on the application you are using) and a manipulation device.