Ubi Interactive and Microsoft have been working together to develop software that can — with the addition of a Kinect and projector — turn any surface into a touchscreen. Now, you can buy the app that powers it for about $150.
That might sound expensive, but this is a first step on a long road. Besides, it’s kind of aimed to enterprise use in the first instance anyway. That’s apparent in the sales model too: the basic $150 app supports screens up to 45 inches, while professional ($380) and business licences ($800) provide 100-inch support. The number of supported touch points increases with pricing too — from just one on the basic version, up to 20 on the $1500 enterprise edition.
The app runs on any Windows 8 PC and supports Microsoft’s touch-friendly Metro interface, with the Kinect studying the surface illuminated by a projector, responding to gestures from the user. The software has been beta tested by 50 organisations, but Ubi is now taking orders for the software. So, if you have a Kinect, projector and a hankering for a touch-sensitive wall, now you know what to do. [Ubi Interactive via CNET]