Johnny Mnemonic to the virtual courtesy phone

What's better than multi-touch?  Try no-touch.  That gestural virtual hands-on interface that was Robert Longo's choice to represent Johnny hacking the Matrix looks like it's here, courtesy of an Israeli outfit called 3DV Systems and their ZCam.  The ZCam uses infrared light from its own emitter, combined with "sophisticated software algorithms", to detect, distinguish and range multiple objects with sufficient precision to enable 3DV VP of Marketing Tomer Barel to navigate Windows Vista's menu tree by wiggling his fingers and thumb.  Microsoft Surface could well wind up being obsolete before it even ships.

Parallel Play

Tim Page writes for the New Yorker about Asperger's syndrome.  It's another well-written and revealing article from the Aspie perspective.