Bremen's mrT (mixed reality Table) is a multi-touch-capable projection table to be used for research on new interaction concepts.

The table was developed by the research group Digital Media and is a complex construction in which established and novel technologies were combined. At present, a screen size of 130 cm (51.3 inch) with full-HD resolution cannot to be found in any other table. Due to an elaborated mirror system the presentation is distortion-free without the necessity to revert to lossy image adjustment. Details concerning the construction are given in a photo series, construction plans and in an AHCI article.

The table opens up fascinating fields of research. Amongst others, novel applications for collaborative use by several people at the same time will be developed and tested. Users touch input and gestures as well as real objects will be involved in the interaction for the use of these applications. User proximity sensing (see below) is an innovative upgrade that allows applications to react to individual user's positions.

As a part of interactive environments and in connection with mobile devices, our mrT is also a research element in the area of ubiqitous services and suits as an interactive piece of furniture e.g. for the project Embodied Interaction in the research field of interaction.

For the software platform partly free software combined and extended with in-house developments is employed. The Digital Media Group supports the development of open protocols, e.g. the TUIO protocol, in this area.

For multi-user multi-touch tables with around the table interaction, orientation of items on screen (such as text) is a problem. We address this issue by proposing a technique to detect the location of users around a multi-touch table. We discuss sensors and algorithms to be used, and benefits of the proposed sensors as well as possible applications.

Benjamin Walther-Franks et al. (2008), User Detection for a Multi-touch Table via Proximity Sensors, IEEE Tabletops and Interactive Surfaces 2008
Position Paper [.pdf]
Poster [.pdf]