Multi-touch tables were one of
the big themes of BETT 2009 and I think
they will be even bigger and cheaper for BETT 2010. I have to say I like the idea of multi-touch tables and
some of the children that I saw using them at demo during BETT were naturally collaborating, communicating and learning.
I know it’s not just the hardware that’s important and I was impressed at the
range of innovative software that is staring to be developed for such products.
I can see a real use for this type
of development in education, but I think the costs will be very hard to justify
at the moment for most schools.
In no particular order, here are some of the interactive tables that I saw at the show:
A really simple idea, that I had already seen the prototype of at the 2008 Scottish Learning Festival. The RM class table combines a Hitachi ultra short throw projector, an eBeam interactive whiteboard system and a portable desk specially designed to allow horizontal projection. Although the system is not multi-touch. I don’t think it will be long until e-beam release this technology. The picture above shows Google Earth being used with the system.
I had heard a lot about this
product before going to the BETT show and I was keen to see it in action. I was
very impressed with what I saw. The SMART table
claims to be the world’s first multitouch, multiuser table for primary
education. It is an interactive learning centre that lets students get hands-on
with collaborative activities.
The software behind the SMART table
also seemed very clever. There were lots of parts of it that were highly customisable.
I would love to try one of these devices out with one of my local primary
schools and I will be interested to see how a secondary version of the same
product develops with time.
For more information on the SMART Table view this YouTube clip.
The VIPRO
Interactive table gets the prize for being the largest Interactive table
that a saw at the BETT show. There were two versions of the table. One that
used eBeam technology, similar to the RM Interactive class table and one that
used a different type of multi-touch interface (I’m not quite sure how it
worked!). The big difference (apart from size and cost!) between the VIPRO and
the RM Interactive was that all of the VIPRO products
are rear projection straight onto reinforced safety glass.
This means that children are
able to access all four sides of the table – as one of the sides is not taken
up by the short throw projector (as this is under the table).
When I was having a play with this table during the last day of the show – I was impressed with how sensitive it was and once again the emerging range of software looked fantastic.
Surface is without a
doubt the ultimate multitouch table (it should be at the price!). At the time
of the BETT show there were only two in the country and they were both at BETT.
One was on the Microsoft Stand and one was in the RM Schools of the Future Area.
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to play with the one in the RM area.
What can I say? It has very smooth applications, its intuitive, it’s clever, it interacts with mobile
devices, it knows what side of the table you are on and it has huge potential
to help you with their learning.
For more surface videos visit the Microsoft Surface Site.
The big question is who is
going to be the first manufacturer to lend me one of these resources for a
really robust education trail?
These interactive tables were possibly the stars of BETT09. I do wonder though about the practicalities of using them in a classroom.
I feel it is good that pupils can sit around them and work collaboratively. Though the SMART table didn't seem all that easy to sit around owing to the closed underside of the table (presumably to protect the projector).
I have also heard that Promethean will be bringing out a multitouch whiteboard later in the year; I feel this may be of more practical use than the tables (providing Promethean abandon their stylus approach!). Time, though, will tell and it will be interesting to see which products are on display at next year's BETT.
Posted by: Doug Woods | January 22, 2009 at 07:12 PM
Multi touch - if you have a wiimote,bluetooth dongle and an infra red led pen then you have a touch screen on any flat monitor. For £40. Even better is to turn the projector then project on a table, and up to 4 pupils can use it with the wiimote at the same time.
Posted by: NickNick | January 23, 2009 at 08:21 PM