Ideum unveils new museum-ready, 55-inch multitouch table
As its name suggests, the new MT55 HD Multitouch Table from Ideum features a 55-inch high definition LCD display which can support multiple simultaneous touch points. Standing at an Americans with Disabilities Act-friendly 31 inches tall, the powder coated, aluminum and steel pedestal table has a powerful quad-core processor and NVIDIA graphics running the show, supported by dual hard drives and DDR3 memory. A useful feature for the museum and tradeshow settings that the table is likely to find itself in, is the ability to lock the power switch out of harm's way and keep the ports hidden from view.
At the heart of the MT55 HD Multitouch Table is a 64-bit Windows 7 Professional computer system sporting an Intel Core i7 quad-core processor running at 2.93GHz, NVIDIA's Quadro 600 PCIe graphics with 1GB of dedicated memory, dual 250GB SATA HDDs spinning at 7200RPM and 4GB of DDR3 RAM. Wireless connectivity takes the form of 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with a Bluetooth keyboard with integrated trackpad also included. Physical connectivity includes USB 2.0, HDMI-out and Ethernet - all of which are hidden away - and there's 3.5mm audio input and output jacks, too.
At 31 inches tall, the MT55 HD meets the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities ActLike Touchscape's multi-touch coffee table, the MT55 HD sports an LCD multi-touch surface. However, the latter is a 55-inch LED backlit LCD Display with a luminance of 500 cd/m 2 at 120Hz and protected by a haptic, ultra-clear, 5mm tempered glass surface. The 1080p full HD display features a 4,000,000:1 contrast ratio and a 178 degree viewing angle, and its solid state optical multitouch system can support up to 32 simultaneous touch points with a 7-12 ms touch response time.
Ideum's Jim Spadaccini told us that, like the company's 100-inch multitouch monster, the table has four blue LED lights underneath the surface to provide 'ground effects' – there is a controller that allows the brightness to be adjusted (or they can be turned off).
As well as high definition visuals, users can also look forward to some decent audio thanks to an amplified Bose Articulated Array 191 stereo sound system. The MT55 HD also has integrated 1200 W surge protection and UPS backup and filtered air cooling.
Together with development software options for programming languages like C++ and Java, the Table ships with GestureWorks for Flash and Flex SDK – which includes almost a dozen pre-built components (including onscreen keyboard and image a video handlers) and supports over 200 gestures. The license also includes access to a growing library of open source multitouch-enabled exhibit components at Open Exhibits.
Packed and ready to roll - the MT55 HD is said to work straight out of the boxThe entire 31 x 31.5 x 52.5-inch (78 x 80 x 133.5 cm), 350 pounds (136kg) unit is shipped assembled, has single button operation and is designed to work straight out of the crate.
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While Paul is loath to reveal his age, he will admit to cutting his IT teeth on a TRS-80 (although he won't say which version). An obsessive fascination with computer technology blossomed from hobby into career before hopping over to France for 10 years, where he started work for New Atlas in 2009. Now back in his native Blighty, he serves as Managing Editor in Europe.
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davem2 March 29, 2011 06:03 AMI know the pace of technological change increases exponentially but it\'s amazing to think new innovations are immediately ready for the museum.
jayedwin98020 June 18, 2014 01:56 PMA unique product. Although, the screens would be more "user friendly", if they could be easily adjusted from the flat, to various upright positions, and from either side of the screen your on. Allowing a person to sit, or stand, in front of the screen, as an artist would at an easel.Another useful positioning feature, would be to have the capability of adjusting the overall height of the screen, while either in the flat, or suggested, vertical positions.Obviously, more expense would be involved in manufacturing these features into the product, but the overall usability of the screens would definitely be enhanced.All in all, a great looking product!
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