Montana State University

May 2008 – Montana State University’s Extended University was looking for new cutting edge technology to use in Studio 1080 - their brand new collaborative multimedia center.  The Studio is designed to be a destination for students, staff and alumni to create and share their own interactive menu-based content in high-definition multimedia.  The University did not have to look very far before they came across GestureTek’s Illuminate Display and began what would become a very intriguing project.

GestureTek’s breathtaking Illuminate Display captures people’s attention.  It’s an opaque, twelve square-foot interactive surface computing panel.  With technology hidden from view, the captivating display can project dramatic 3D images that appear to be floating in mid-air.  Users can control and interact with dynamic multimedia content by gesturing with their hand before a display screen and holding their finger right in front of an icon to select a menu item. 

GestureTek’s patented video gesture control technology and sophisticated camera systems track hand and finger position and translate that into cursor control.  Custom dynamic images are projected onto a very thin film applied directly onto a glass panel.  Projectors can be housed on the ceiling or the floor, while tracking cameras are able to detect hand movement to allow the viewer to interact with digital content.

Custom content was created specifically for this installation by a team at MSU.  The team created interactive presentation modules that describe participants’ research or creative project, and helped users gain more information on what it is like to teach and learn at MSU.

“The new collaborative multimedia center is the first of its kind” said Kim Obbink, MSU Extended University Director, “GestureTek’s Illuminate Display is an excellent addition to this brand new facility. It’s cutting edge technologies like this that keep people interested in this emerging field”.