New Application to Omniverse NUI list

I can't help myself to browse around the Internet and looking for new cool things coming out. This is something I found as they announced it at Google IO but never found a use for using their API's.

Well now I have. I'm going to add a Google Wave client to Omniverse NUI. If you haven't heard about Google Wave you should have a look at the demo at the end of the post. But why? Well first of all I find the way Google Wave (GW from now on) does communication is unique, innovative and inspiring. It matches exactly what I would like to see happening on Omniverse. Fast instant communication independent on location.

Exactly how I will create this client is as everything else about this project still being planed. And also only on 3:ed place in the priority list. But It might be bumped up depending on how big it grows. The fun part of it is that as soon as I looked at the demo I could come up with at least 5 different UI interfaces that would help communication with Wave and it might become a fundamental part of Omniverse since it is a open protocol. As soon as I get my developer account I will make a deeper dive into the API and decide on what use I have for it and it's priority.

Here is the video I promised, Enjoy. (Ps you can skip the first 5 min cause its most crap talk)

A map of my mind

I like thinking. I don't do it often or might not be very good at it but some time I get a boost of energy and get lots of ideas. This time I managed to get it onto a mindmap so I won't forget all my ideas and it gives me a good overview of all that needs to be done with this build.

As you can see there is lots of options when building touch-tables. The more I read about other peoples work the more ideas I get and it just spirals into a massive project.

I find that the hardware I'm going to build is less inspiring then the UI that I want to build. The mindmap won't show it but I have atleast 200% more ideas when it comes to the UI then with the hardware design. But I hope that I can draw my prototype table this week so at least I have some surface to work on.

So what is my next goal then. Well apart from all the theory I'm learning about DirectX and how to build the table I have a more concrete goal. At the end of the week I will have a lit 3D cube that I can move with my finger. I will prove it with a video and put some pressure on me to get on with stuff.

I just need to convert our glass table in the living room into a temp touch table and I expect my girlfriend to think that is a GREAT idea :D

Enough rambling. Back to work.

PS, Does anyone know how to make wordpress to make the image link to the full size image. The image is WAY to small to be able to read anything Found it :)

UI Inspiration

As usual when I do different project I find myself planing things that I won't be able to do in a LOOOONG time. UI design for Omniverse is something I'm really looking forward to. I already have lots of ideas, some quite good and some just barking mad, and I'm in the process of writing them down so I don't forget it once I'm good enough at DirectX to be able to prototype some of it. If I get time I will post some of my ideas but right now I'm mostly looking at Anime films and other Sf movies for inspiration. Cause one thing I really don't want to do is to repeat old UI design now that I have the chance to make it EXACTLY how I want it without any constraints. But here is some of the key points the UI should contain

• It should be aware of the environment and be able to simulate key parts of it


• I should be able to use it even if I'm dead tired or drunk. Ease of use is paramount!


• Text should be the LAST form of communication for the UI


• All objects that are related in some way should help the user to interact with them (ie, mark a photo and other photos and maybe editors should move closer to the users hand to assist in further interaction)


• Files and folders are FORBIDDEN! More organic organization. (Haven't figured this one out yet)


• QWERTY Keyboard is banished. And all text input must be able to be done without looking but still without any physical feedback. (Location aware input)

Well that's some of the ideas I have right now. More is coming everyday. My goal it still to keep it simple but it's hard to stop you mind to invent some mad UI that is absolutely useless.

So if anyone has any good UI inspirational films or other media give me a shout. All ideas are good as long as there not stupid :)

Will report on my DirectX progress tomorrow.