Touch Less and Touch Screens

1.INTRODUCTION
Touchless Touch allows you to turn any suitable surface into a multi-touch surface by harnessing
the power of the cameras on the Kinect or Primesense (OpenNI) sensors.
You can connect a maximum of 4 sensors* to extend the size of the touchable area and increase
accuracy when many people are using the surface.
Possible usages include adding touch screen support for a front/rear projected screen, making a
projected white board touch-enabled, or for a cheaper way to enable touch support on large
format displays.
For most applications only a single sensor is required. For larger multi-user and multi-touch
application you may find the need for more than one sensor.
One sensor can theoretically detect all 128 touch points although in practice this is probably
physically impossible, thus the support for up to 4 sensors. The software does not mind which
sensors are installed, so you can have a combination of different compatible hardware.
* Currently you can only connect one Kinect V2 sensor to a computer at a time.

2.Whats New?
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2.1
Added support for Windows 10
Added new "Reduce Lag" option for improved smoothing with faster response
Disabled Windows 8 lockdowns for operating systems other than Windows 8.0
Added automatic check for updates
Fixed a bug with the about screen not displaying correctly
Improved detection of multi-touch points with better rejecting of false data
Increased responsiveness of the KinectV2/Xbox One sensor
Overhauled the calibration routine to be more accurate
Improved the calibration routine for the more precise nature of the Kinect V2/Xbox One
Sensor

2.2
Support for the Kinect for Windows V2 and Xbox One Sensor

2.3
New touch algorithm meaning the software is now much more accurate.
Added new options to restrict the detection area during calibration.
Fixed a bug where the Max Touch Points option wasnt being saved.
Improved multi-monitor support for Windows 8

2.4
Fixed bugs with multi-monitor on Windows 8 where primary display was right of another
monitor

2.5
Fixed major bug with some OpenNI devices not being detected
2.6
Improved support for OpenNI compatible devices

2.7
Massively improved touch detection algorithm.
Much more accurate and more sensitive.
Touches are not lost during dragging operations so easily now.

2.8
Windows 7 (32 and 64bit) support
Improved accuracy when using multiple sensors
Slight speed increase of touch detection
Improved documentation

3. SOFTWARE INSTALLATION

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Installation is straightforward. Do not connect any sensors until the installation process
completes.
1. Find and run the setup.exe
2. Follow the on-screen prompts
3. During the installation the Kinect for Windows Runtime will appear. You must complete this
process for the installation to work.
4. If you are on Windows 7 you may be asked if you wish to proceed installing an unsigned
driver. You must accept this dialog or the software will not work.
5. If you are using a 64-Bit version of Windows 8/8.1/10 you will be prompted with a second
Kinect for Windows installer. You must also complete this process for the installation to work.
6. After the installation, connect the sensor(s) to the computer. Drivers will automatically be
detected and installed correctly. After about a minute the sensors will become active and will be
ready for calibration. If they are not detected restart your computer and try again.

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4. HARDWARE INSTALLATION

Hardware installation is straightforward but there are a few important things you need to know.
Kinect Sensor
This software is designed to work with the Kinect for Windows V1, V2 and Xbox One sensors *.
The Kinect for Xbox 360 sensor will only work if you download the full Kinect SDK from
Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40278).
You can find out more information on where to purchase one of these sensors on our website.
Primesense OpenNI Sensor
This software is designed to also work with the Primesense OpenNI sensors. You can find out
more information on where to purchase one of these sensors on our website. From our
experiments the Kinect sensor has proven to be slightly more accurate but your tests may vary.
Drivers
Kinect for Windows drivers are included in the installer with this product. Drivers for
Primesense devices will accompany those products and may need to be copied into the OpenNI
folders within this software installation.
Multiple Sensors **
If you are using multiple sensors then each one must be connected to its own dedicated USB
controller on the computer.
If you receive errors relating to low USB bandwidth then you are sharing a USB controller with
more than one sensor, or have too many other devices connected.
This is a hardware limitation but can easily be bypassed by trying different USB ports or
purchasing separate USB controller cards.
* To use the Xbox One sensor you require the Windows adapter from Microsoft.
** Currently Microsoft restricts the use of the KinectV2/Xbox One sensor to
one per machine.

5. SENSOR MOUNTING

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The software allows a level of flexibility with the way the sensor is mounted; there are a few
exceptions to this and checking the following will greatly increase accuracy.

5.1. Minimum distance

The sensor cameras have a minimum and maximum detection range. The
sensor must be placed at least 40cm away (we recommend at least 60cm)
from the touchable area. The sensor has a range of about 4 meters, (See Fig
1). It is perfectly acceptable to have the sensor mounted a distance from the
surface rather than right next to it. You can also add up-to 4 sensors to
extend past the 4-meter limit or increase accuracy where multi-touch is used

5.2. Viewing Angle

The Kinect V1 and Primesense sensors have a viewing angle (field of view) of about 58 degrees.
The Kinect V2 sensor has a viewing angle of 71 degrees. Detection is not possible outside this

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angle. Once again, the use of multiple sensors can help with this limitation. See Fig 2.

5.3. Position Around the Surface

The sensor(s) can be placed at any position around the surface. See Fig 3. The calibration process
automatically takes this into account. We recommend placing the sensor(s) in a corner, looking
across the surface. This is the most accurate location.

5.4. Angle of Sensor

The sensor must be mounted flat against (or as close to as possible) to the
surface being touched. See Fig 4. The sensor should not be twisted or
mounted up side down. See Fig 5. The sensor should only be rotated in the
same direction as it would normally tilt up or down.
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6.Configuration
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Once the software is installed it will place a small icon in the notification area
of the task bar that looks like this:
If you right-click the icon you will see a menu like the following:

(Fig:6 Pressing Calibrate Devices will start the calibration process. Some settings update in real-time as you adjust
them.)

7.Touch Wall

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Touch wall refers to the touch screen hardware set up itself present in the interface card of your
phone and the corresponding software to run Touch Wall, which is called plex and built on the
standard version of plex. The first Microsoft Multi-Touch tablet computer was introduced in
2007. Today it's cost is around $10,000 to run software because of the rapid growing of
customers due to spending money on the smart phones. But, the touch wall cost is around 100
dollars retail price. Touch wall consists of three infrared lasers that scans a surface.

7.1Touchless monitor:
Today, everybody is using the touch screen user interface now-a-days but this is the one device
that we didn't want to swipe the screen. This is based on the technology from Touchko company
demonstrated by White Electronic designs in New York. The display contains an capacitive
sensors that can read movements up to 15cm away from the screen. The software that is provided
with in the device that translates your gestures in to commands and performs required action
corresponding to it. This technology detects motion in 3D and requires no special sensors for
your operation. By simply poiting on your screen you can manipulate the object in 3D.

7.2Working of Touch less Touch screens:

The system is capable of detecting movements in 3 dimensions without ever having to put your
fingers on the screen. You can point out your hand at the distance of 5 feet also you can also
rotate your objects in 3D. The technology we usually use on the Touch less screens are capacitive
and resistive sensing technologies. To the working of these methods there should be consider of
some points to consider into account. They are:
1. A conducting metal coated at the top with a poly-ester coating.
2. A glass layer beneath the spacing with a conducting transparent coating.
3. An adhesive layer beneath the glass layer

8.Calibration

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The calibration process is very important, and if performed correctly will yield very accurate
results. If you find that your results are poor then repeat the process taking time to make sure
each point is recorded correctly. Do not rush this step.

You need to make sure you can reach a keyboard or a mouse during the calibration process. This
may require a USB extension or cordless/wireless keyboard or mouse.
Once you have read all of the information press Begin Calibration. The software will attempt to
connect to up-to four sensors if possible. Once connected you will get the following warning:

You need to make sure you can reach a keyboard or a mouse during the calibration process. This
may require a USB extension or cordless/wireless keyboard or mouse.
Once you have read all of the information press Begin Calibration. The software will attempt to
connect to up-to four sensors if possible. Once connected you will get the following warning:

This is a 10 second warning to get everyone out of the range of the sensors. After this 10 seconds
the software will take readings of depth and noise. You must not be in range of the sensor during
this process.
After this completes you will be shown with the following screen:

On screen you should also see a flashing target looking like this:

The background of the image of each sensor should be blue/black. If not, press ESC and start
again.
To continue, point to this target with your finger, getting as close as you can without actually
touching the surface. Your arm and hand will be highlighted in a green/yellow colour.
If you find that areas of the screen are being detected incorrectly then use the mouse and crop the
image by dragging the four flashing squares in the corners of the image.
The tip of your finger will be shown by a red square. It is important not to continue until you are
happy that the red square represents your finger tip as best as possible. Below shows being too
near, too far away and perfect positioning of the finger:

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Once you are happy, press and hold the space bar, or press and hold the left mouse button. The
software will read information about where your finger is and then the next target will be shown.
Repeat this asks process as many times as the software (usually four times in
total) until the following appears:

(Fig 7:calibration)

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8.1Calibration with reflective surfaces (white boards,glass etc)

If you find calibration gives a poor result then check to see if your surface is reflective. This is
usually an issue with Whiteboards, glass etc. This is especially an issue with the Kinect V2/One
sensor as its IR transmitter is much stronger than other sensors.
This issue is easy to resolve, but requires an extra step as follows:
1. Perform calibration as per the previous page.
2. When you are shown the points on screen to touch, affix a large piece of paper over the top so
that it completely covers the dot and as much of the surface as possible. Calibrate each point as
normal. Do not remove the paper.
3. If calibration has not improved, repeat steps 1 and 2 with the paper still attached. The
calibration should now be accurate.
4. If the calibration is still poor check that the sensor is mounted flat against the surface and not
tilted. For best results we recommend mounting the sensor in a corner and angled to look across
the face of the surface.
5. If you still have poor results then look closely at the depth image as you move your finger
about. Look for reflections of your hand in other areas of the image. This indicates other
reflective surfaces that need to be covered.

Tip: You can also try pointing slightly further away from the surface.

9. Licensing

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The software will run in un-restricted demo mode until registered. You can purchase a licence
from the website by following the links within the software.
All licences must be activated before use. Activation requires an Internet connection. If an
Internet connection is not available you can manually activate the software by visiting a special
website from another computer.
NOTE: A licence can only be transferred to another computer if it deactivated first.
You can only transfer a licence a limited number of times, and each time you activate a licence
you will be told how many more times you may transfer it.
You can access the licence screen by going into the configuration (see Configuration and
Calibration) or by choosing Licence from the menu that pops up from the icon in the notification
area in the task bar.
The licence management dialog is shown below:

10.Touchless displays superseding touchscreens?

A touchless display may be able to capitalize on a human trait which is of vital importance,
although sometimes unwanted: This is the fact that our body sweats and is constantly emitting
water molecules through tiny pores in the skin. Scientists of the Nanochemistry group led by
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Bettina Lotsch at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart and the LMU
Munich ave now been able to visualize the transpiration of a finger with a special moisture
sensor which reacts as soon as an object - like an index finger approaches its surface, without
touching it. The increasing humidity is converted into an electrical signal or translated into a
colour changeh, thus enabling it to be measured.

Phosphatoantimonic acid is what enables it to do this. This acid is a crystalline solid at room
temperature with a structure made up of antimony, phosphorous, oxygen and hydrogen atoms.
Its long been known to scientists that this material is able to take up water and swells
considerably in the process, explained Pirmin Ganter, doctoral student at the Max Planck
Institute for Solid State Research and the Chemistry Department at LMU Munich. This water
uptake also changes the properties of the material. For instance, its electrical conductivity
increases as the number of stored water molecules rises. This is what enables it to serve as a
measure of ambient moisture.

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10.1A sandwich nanomaterial structure exposed to moisture also

changes its colour
However, the scientists arent so interested in developing a new moisture sensor. What they
really want is to use it in touchless displays. Because these sensors react in a very local manner
to any increase in moisture, it is quite conceivable that this sort of material with moisture-
dependent properties could also be used for touchless displays and monitors, said Ganter.
Touchless screens of this kind would require nothing more than a finger to get near the display to
change their electrical or optical properties and with them the input signal at a specific point
on the display.

Taking phosphatoantimonate nanosheets as their basis, the Stuttgart scientists then developed a
photonic nanostructure which reacts to the moisture by changing colour. If this was built into a
monitor, the users would then receive visible feedback to their finger motion explained Katalin
Szendrei, also a doctoral student in Bettina Lotschs group. To this end, the scientists created a
multilayer sandwich material with alternating layers of ultrathin phosphatoantimonate
nanosheets and silicon dioxide (SiO2) or titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2). Comprising more
than ten layers, the stack ultimately reached a height of little more than one millionth of a metre.

For one thing, the colour of the sandwich material can be set via the thickness of the layers. And
for another, the colour of the sandwich changes if the scientists increase the relative humidity in
the immediate surroundings of the material, for instance by moving a finger towards the screen.
The reason for this lies in the storage of water molecules between the phosphatoantimonate
layers, which makes the layers swell considerably, explained Katalin Szendrei. A change in the
thickness of the layers in this process is accompanied by a change in the colour of the sensor
produced in a similar way to what gives colour to a butterfly wing or in mother-of-pearl.

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10.2The material reacts to the humidity change within a few

milliseconds
This is a property that is fundamentally well known and characteristic of so-called photonic
crystals. But scientists had never before observed such a large colour change as they now have in
the lab in Stuttgart. The colour of the nanostructure turns from blue to red when a finger gets
near, for example. In this way, the colour can be tuned through the whole of the visible spectrum
depending on the amount of water vapour taken up, stressed Bettina Lotsch.

The scientists new approach is not only captivating because of the striking colour change.
Whats also important is the fact that the material reacts to the change in humidity within a few
milliseconds literally in the blink of an eye. Previously reported materials normally took
several seconds or more to respond. That is much too slow for practical applications. And theres
another thing that other materials couldnt always do: The sandwich structure consisting of
phosphatoantimonate nanosheets and oxide nanoparticles is highly stable from a chemical
perspective and responds selectively to water vapour.

10.3A layer protecting against chemical influences has to let

moisture through
The scientists can imagine their materials being used in much more than just future generations
of smartphones, tablets or notebooks. Ultimately, we could see touchless displays also being
deployed in many places where people currently have to touch monitors to navigate, said
Bettina Lotsch. For instance in cash dispensers or ticket machines, or even at the weighing scales
in the supermarkets vegetable aisle. Displays in public placesthat are used by many different
people would have distinct hygiene benefits if they were touchless.

But before we see them being used in such places, the scientists have a few more challenges to
overcome. Its important, for example, that the nanostructures can be produced economically. To
minimize wear, the structures still need to be coated with a protective layer if theyre going to be
used in anything like a display. And that, again, has to meet not one but two different
requirements: It must protect the moisture-sensitive layers against chemical and mechanical
influences. And it must, of course, let the moisture pass through. But the Stuttgart scientists have
an idea for how to achieve that already. An idea they are currently starting to put into practice
with an additional cooperation partner on board.

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11.Whats next
Many personal computers will likely have similar screens in the near future. But touch interfaces
are nothing new -- witness ATM machines. How about getting completely out of touch? A startup
called LM3Labs says it's working with major computer makers in Japan, Taiwan and the US to
incorporate touch less navigation into their laptops, Called Airstrike; the system uses tiny charge-
coupled device (CCD) cameras integrated into each side of the keyboard to detect user
movements.
You can drag windows around or close them, for instance, by pointing and gesturing in midair
above the keyboard.You should be able to buy an Airstrike-equipped laptop next year, with high-
end stand-alone keyboards to follow.

Any such system is unlikely to replace typing and mousing. But that's not the point. Airstrike
aims to give you an occasional quick break from those activities.

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12.Advantages

1.Touchscreen devices have limited buttons that will possibly break after 3 4 years.

2.Touchscreen devices usually have more simple user interfaces Ex. Ipod Apps.

3.Having less or not buttons means that you can put more effort into having a big screen.

4.For the people worried about hygiene, most devices are easy to clean, some are even dirt, dust
and grease resistant.

5.For people new or uncomfortable with normal desktops, touchscreens are easy to use helping
more people get used to using computer.

13.Disadvantages
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1.They usually cost more than ordinary devices.

2.The screen has to be big enough to be able to touch the buttons without missing

3.Having a big bright screen and needing massive computing power to run this means a very low
battery life.

4.In direct sunlight it is much less effictian and most of the time very difficult to read the screen.

5.If a touchscreen devise were to crash the whole screen would be unresponsive, and because of
the lack of buttons revoering it would be very difficult.

6.The screens will get very dirty.

7.You have to be within arms reach of the device_of_touch screen.

14.CONCLUSION
Todays thoughts are again around user interface. Efforts are being put to better the technology
day-in and day-out. The Touchless touch screen user interface can be used effectively in
computers, cell phones, webcams and laptops. May be few years down the line, our body can be
transformed into a virtual mouse, virtual keyboard and what not??, Our body may be turned in to
an input device.

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15.REFERENCES
1.Shneiderman, B. (1991). "Touch screens now offer compelling uses". IEEE
Software: pp 9394, 107
2 Potter, R.; Weldon, L. & Shneiderman, B. (1988). "Improving the accuracy
of touch screen: An experimental evaluation of three strategies". Proc.
CHI'88. Washington, DC: ACM Press. pp. 2732.
3 Sears, A.; Plaisant, C. & Shneiderman, B. (1992). "A new era for high
precision touchscreens". In Hartson, R. & Hix, Advances in Human-Computer
Interaction". Ablex, NJ. pp. 133.
4 Sears, A.; Shneiderman, B. (1991). "High precision touchscreen: Design
strategies and comparison with a mouse". Int. J. of Man-Machine Studies.
5 John Broz, Ted Dimiropoulos, Alex Schallmo, & Mahreen Younus, "Touch
screen Technologies".

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