see the users by the shoe

In order to enable personalized functionality, such as to log tabletop activity by user, tabletop systems need to recognize users. DiamondTouch does so reliably, but requires users to stay in assigned seats and cannot recognize users across sessions. We propose a different approach based on distinguishing users’ shoes. While users are interacting with the table, Bootstrapper observes their shoes using one or more depth cameras mounted to the edge of the table. It then identifies users by matching camera images with a database of known shoe images. When multiple users interact,
Bootstrapper associates touches with shoes based on hand orientation. The approach can be implemented using consumer depth cameras because (1) shoes offer large distinct features such as color, (2) shoes naturally align themselves with the ground, giving the system a well-defined perspective and thus reduced ambiguity. We report a simple study in which Bootstrapper recognized participants from a database of 18 users with 89% accuracy, based on a single observed frame.

If you own a mac, you use spotlight daily. Or even better, use Alfred. A great way to navigate faster with a keyboard towards the app or data you need.

A very long time ago a Boy Wonder made something like this for Drupal 5, navigating through the /admin pages using a simple spotlight alike interface, see the menuscout module. Unfortunately, Boy Wonder, he wandered off and the module gained dust.

Then some time ago co-worker Michael Mol showed me a module he has been working on. Since he was doing D6 and D7 development at the same time and since the URL's changed and developers use URL's as well for navigation, he decided to d a spotlight alike search on the admin pages so he could remember the name, not the URL. It ended up being coffee, for now a sandbox project but anyday now a real project in d.o. To see it in action, take a look at this screencast.

Think of coffee as spotlight for the admin interface. And if you want an easter egg like the do a barrel roll, get active in this issue.

First proof of concept, now the usecase... :-)

Me in a 3d picture via Kinect on my mac

Now I got my kinect connected to my Mac, it is time to rock. As you might know, I am a big fan of Plex, the open source kick ass media center on a Mac (and other OS-es as well). use your iPhone as a remote for you telly, use an iPad as the display to watch TV shows or Movies. And via the pugin system, tune in to the many additional channels and features. A great app.

So combining plex and a kinect. Browse through your coverflow movies by hand. Fast forward with your hands. Sound up whith raising your arm.

Visions of the future? Nope. See

and download / compile the handyplex code. I will do it next weekend....