This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to accelerate commercialization of a new human-computer interface (HCI) platform: Siftables. These are small, wireless, gesture-sensitive displays that act together as one interface. People can efficiently execute cognitive tasks through manipulation of groups of physical objects. These abilities find little purchase in both keyboard/mouse User Interfaces (UIs) and newer UIs with single displays.
The proposed platform provides a UI that can address a broad range of human-computer tasks, from media creation to data analysis to social communication. Historically, the entertainment domain has provided a profitable staging area in which to introduce novel UI systems - this market is large, has price flexibility, and its consumers have a demonstrated desire for novel interactions. This domain will provide a path to profitability, familiarize consumers with multi-object interfaces and allow the Siftables technology time to mature before other market opportunities are pursued. If successful, this system will allow the company to advance the state of the art of distributed operating systems and sensor networks.
