Build Your Own Multi-touch Surface Computer

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Very cool hardware project. Most OS platforms have support for multi-touch now so it's getting easier. Maximum PC is using Windows XP and the Touchlib library. X.org has added MPX support so it should be supported on most Linux distributions in the future (here is a video).
 
I don't have the time to research this whole thing right now, but would a beefier computer decrease the lag? Or is that just inherent from the way it works with the IR -> Computer -> Projector?
 
Why not just use the nintendo wii controller instead of a camera, it is wireless and already tracks 4 points of inra-red and sends the co-ordinates back to the PC, far easier, almost no lag and works a treat, I've been doing this for a while, built an 'interactive' canvas to paint on. There is already drivers for OSX and Windows.
http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/
 
It's a fun project to do but it isn't actually anywhere near $350. The $350 doesn't include the PC or the projector.

I found a cheap projector on craigslist for $200 and use a MacBook Pro running boot camp to accomplish this. The device is treated more like an accessory than a stand alone unit. Powering the LED's and what not is obviously quite a bit different than how they powered them but I think it is more ideal. I would rather be able to simply plug in the laptop and use the device when I wanted to rather than put a PC to waste in a machine I can't get any real work done on.
 
Sure, it's $350 for materials. But, your article states that it took them two weeks to build. Even if it only took one guy working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, at $15 an hour, wages alone would be $1200. When you add the materials, their cost was really $1550, not $350. But, I'm betting the techies down at Maximum PC make significantly more than $15/hour, which actually put their cost over what they could have bought it for.....Just a thought on opportunity costs.
 
Yeah, I was wondering how come this article doesn't mention projector. t's still not a very cheap thing to do.. Yes, it will be a nice project if you really need touch-table, but as a "pet project" I think it's a little over the top.

Though completing this thing shouldn't be hard with a SFF PC built into the table. If you're doing something this big, than better do it the right way from the start.

Nice gizmo anyway, looking forward to reading and researching the whole thing once I get home :)
 
[citation][nom]rigaudio[/nom]I've always wanted to build a multitouch table of my own. The projector, though, is the biggest cost.[/citation]
+1,a good projector eats more than the table costs you in parts.
I think if someone would sell this concept it might go for $2000 with a +/- $1000 projector included.
 
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