Microsoft is working on the development of a 3D multi-touch screen that allows you to feel the volume of objects

Microsoft Research Redmond researchers have revealed their latest development. A touch screen that displays 3D images and allows you to manipulate and feel the volume and surface of objects.

Scientists from the Natural Interaction group Microsoft Research Redmond are working on the development of a multi-touch 3D panoramic monitor that allows you to interact with objects.

Force Feedback technology has been used in its design, which allows you to feel the surface of the object you touch.. When you slide your finger across the screen, and according to the resistance that is placed on it, It is possible to interact with objects and even simulate their shape and weight.

For your presentation, The researchers used a robotic arm on which an LCD screen incorporating force sensors was mounted. The objective was to demonstrate how the kinesthetic haptic sense, which refers to movement rather than tactile touch, can increase interactions with the screen.

Haptic sensation is already used in smartphones where tactile sensations, like clicks and vibrations, improve user experience.

The result shown is a 3D screen with haptic feedback that integrates a touch device that provides 3D physical simulation with Force Feedback technology..

One of the applications shown in the pilot system consisted of three 3D virtual boxes, each one with different virtual weights and friction forces according to the material assumptions they represented.: piedra, wood and a sponge.

By pushing your finger in the virtual space of the screen, the force feedback monitor responded depending on the material on which the virtual pressure was exerted.

To determine whether the device convincingly simulated contours, another simulation was offered with a cup and a ball.. By changing the depth of the screen according to the user's touch input, The team was able to simulate the surface contour of the 3D object. In contrast to force feedback behavior, This mode of operation can be thought of as establishing the position of the screen with infinite resistance so that the user 'feels' the
contour of the 3D object by tracing a finger along its surface.

In contrast to other project applications that apply to 3D scenes, Volumetric scanning app shows how motion and haptics can improve interactions with 2D data.

Another of the experiences that were carried out was to implement a medical navigator of a volumetric image that shows the MRI-scanned data of a human brain.. By gently pressing on the screen, You can explore the data using touch and view different image slices of the brain.

According to Microsoft, this 3D touch screen can be used in a wide range of applications and sectors such as the medical environment., to perform scans of the human body, education or entertainment.