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Ideum Introduces Tangible Engine

Tangible Engine is a highly optimized authoring package supporting the use of fiducial object recognition - the first of its kind to work with projected-capacitive touch screens.
Jun
22
2016
Authored by
Lynette Newton
Project Manager

Ideum is raising the bar on the types of multitouch experiences that can be designed and built on our 55” and 65” Ultra High Definition (UHD) 4K Pro, Platform and Duet PCAP touch tables. Our newest SDK, Tangible Engine, is an intuitive and highly optimized authoring package that simplifies the process of building applications with object recognition on multitouch tables. Tangible Engine 1.0 is the first SDK available that works with projected-capacitive touch screens. It does not require cameras or optical devices. If you are a developer or a designer looking to create interactive experiences involving real world objects, Tangible Engine will save you valuable development time and jump start your project.

Our tangibles, also referred to as fiducials, are made with a rubberized polymer material infused with specifically patterned nodes of conductive materials. Tangible Engine recognizes the pattern when the tangible is placed on the touch screen, thereby activating content and creating an innovative way to engage with applications.

Configuring your Tangibles

Tangible Engine consists of a Configurator / Visualizer utility and an SDK which allows developers to quickly and easily train the tangible objects to connect to the touch table surface. The Configurator / Visualizer enables tangible object customization, and developers can introduce new tangibles and edit important attributes, e.g. the name, id, or object radius. We provide the source-code of the Configurator / Visualizer, allowing developers to better understand how the system works. Tangible Engine comes bundled with the tangible object tracker and documentation.

Tangible Engine is for sale with purchase of any of our compatible touch tables, currently the 43″, 49″, 55″ and 65″ UHD 4K Pro, Platform and Duet models. Tangible objects are included with each purchase, allowing developers to get started right away. In addition, instructions for 3D printing, including STL files for two tangibles and a list of conductive printing materials, are provided. Ideum will be adding new features to Tangible Engine in the near future and updates will be readily available.

Tangible Engine in Action

In 2015, Ideum developed a robust version of the software and built an interactive wine tasting experience with JCB Wines. Just prior to the 1.0 release of Tangible Engine, Ideum developed an interactive coffee experience with Starbucks that seamlessly integrates tangibles with gorgeous design.

Learn more about Tangible Engine and see the video here: tangibleengine.com

Contact us to learn more about Tangible Engine software, Ideum multitouch hardware, and how our Creative Services team can work with you to build bespoke multitouch applications and experiences.