Screen-less Touchscreens

Screen-less Touchscreens: 3-D Screens Manipulated by Gesture

The touchscreen, something out of sci-fi movies just a few years ago, is now a ubiquitous part of modern society. Everything from phones and tablets to cars and refrigerators feature touchscreens. Now, fully three dimensional displays that can be operated with gestures may be the next big thing. We’ve seen the start of gesture technology in our mobile devices and video game systems. However, in the movie Minority Report, for example, we were treated to a screen-less touchscreen in midair that was manipulated with simple gestures. That future may not be as far off as you think.

The technology is being dubbed the Leia Display System or LDS. The imaging technology allows a person to pass right through a display (you’ll get a little wet, but we’ll get to that in a moment), or interact with it through various motions. Don’t expect to have one of these in your office in the next year or so. For the most part, it seems like initial uses will be for marketing gimmicks. The firm has posted various promotional images showing ways in which the technology may benefit marketers and special events. For example, one displayed a luxury car appearing to drive right out of a screen (which was actually just a holographic image). Another portrayed fashion models interacting with the LDS on a catwalk.

Of course, video games are high on the priority list of applications of this new tech. The developers also envision architectural applications, as well as industrial uses. But how does it work?

It’s actually less hologram and more projection. All the action takes place inside a frame that produces a constant mist. The image is then projected onto the mist. The gesture control system actually functions independently of the display, and is similar to other modern gesture control technology.

Right now, this screen-less touchscreen is available in two sizes. A smaller, more manageable device of approximately two feet by three feet, and a very large size that is closer to ten by eight. The smaller device can operate for ten hours on a mere gallon of water, but the larger display requires a gallon per hour.