These displays will coalesce into an efficient workspace by being embedded into furniture and walls. Steelcase has designed a moving rail and rotating monitor arms that allow the displays to be positioned almost anywhere within a work area. And any surface that doesn't already have a display can act as one, thanks to a projection system known as the Everywhere Display that can, for example, turn the surface of a desk into a large display so a group of employees can work together.
The need for employees to collaborate has heavily influenced BlueSpace. Marisa Viveros, IBM's senior manager for pervasive computing solutions, says that despite the presence of powerful PCs, today's office hasn't changed much since the introduction of the typewriter. "You still have this one heavy but fragile device at the center of the space," she says, "one that's hard to share and hard for groups to work with."
To make the systems easier to use, IBM is hoping to reduce or eliminate the need for keyboards. Not only are some of the screens touch-sensitive, but the Everywhere Display can project a virtual keyboard and then rely on a camera to see which keys a user taps. When the need for that particular interaction has passed, the keyboard vanishes.
Viveros admits that some of the underlying technology is either in the early stages of development or, at the least, expensive, but says that more than 100 companies have already been treated to a preview at IBM. "You'll see some of this begin to find its way into offices in 12 to 18 months," she predicts. Not quite close enough to touch, but definitely within view. --S.L.
Reader Comments» Post a comment