Tag Archives: touch

TV reminder: Tim Kring’s ‘Touch’ with Kiefer Sutherland returns tonight at 8PM on FOX

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After spending so many years as Jack Bauer on 24, Kiefer Sutherland has landed a softer, more philosophical role in FOX’s Touch from Heroes creator Tim Kring. Season 1 played like a symphony about human interconnectedness as each installment told a myriad of interesting stories from all around our tiny world. And at the end of each one, as much as the ball of red yarn twisted and stretched it found equilibrium and all wrongs were made right. Sutherland’s Martin Bohm has a gifted son named Jake (played incredibly by the silent narrator David Mazouz) and he can see the fractures in the universe and he uses his father as a source of might to restore balance to it. Though the first season introduced some serialized material when an unseen power wanted to tap into Jake’s gift for unknown purposes, what the show did best was offer exciting, visually stirring, emotional stories with a beginning, middle, and end each week.

Fans will notice some changes in season 2. First, the story picks up right where we left off. Fate has brought Martin and Jake to Lucy (Maria Bello) and together they will search for her gifted daughter Amelia. Kring promises a faster-paced, jolting journey for our characters, and answers. The Amelia Sequence and its ramifications on the nature of things is the more compelling serialized part of the series, after all. “[Lucy] only felt that her daughter was alive — like a mother’s intuition. So [Martin and Jake] absolutely reaffirm it,” says Kring. “The second season is very much about the search for Amelia and the fact that Maria Bello and Kiefer Sutherland’s characters are now joined together – two people who are searching for answers together.”

Maria Bello has been promoted to a series regular in season 2, but social worker and Martin’s partner-in-crime Clea Hopkins (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) will not be returning. Lucas Haas, a 24 alum (he played Andrew Paige in season 4), joins the cast as Calvin Norburg, a genius Aster Corps employee with special knowledge who will cross paths with our title characters.

If you missed out on the first season of Touch, don’t fret. Due to its typically procedural nature I’m sure the season 2 premiere will make it easy for first time viewers to jump right in. Kring has created a captiviating world here so don’t miss out. Touch premieres tonight (2/8) at 8PM on FOX with back-to-back episodes “Event Horizon” and “Closer.” Starting next week and for the remainder of the 13-episode season, it will air in its regular slot Friday at 9. Check out the official season 2 poster after the break. Continue reading TV reminder: Tim Kring’s ‘Touch’ with Kiefer Sutherland returns tonight at 8PM on FOX →

FOX pushes ‘Touch’, schedules remaining ‘Mob Doctor’ episodes; ABC gives ‘Last Man Standing’ & ‘Malibu Country’ back orders; The CW cancels ‘Emily Owens’

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The Tim Kring drama just can’t catch a break! Originally scheduled to premiere this fall on October 26, FOX delayed the second season start to the Kiefer Sutherland vehicle Touch thrice now. It was first bumped to midseason with a vague “January 2013” timeframe; then it was pushed to February 1; and now it’s confirmed to air a two-hour premiere on Friday, February 8 from 8PM-10PM. The following week it will relax into its regular 9PM timeslot. Good grief  Hopefully people will tune in; last year’s ratings were relatively soft and this show about connectedness is worth checking out.

Elsewhere on FOX, the poorly received and rated The Mob Doctor has its days numbered. Though the network is not calling it a cancellation, it has decided not to give the medical drama the back nine. But just like ABC is doing with Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue, it’s allowing the show air all 13 produced episodes being calling time of death. The final four episodes will air on the following dates: Saturday, December 29, Monday, December, Saturday, January 5, and Monday, January 7 all at 9PM. That’s right–some are airing on Saturday nights. Most would call that a loftier death bed than the Friday night graveyard.

Over at ABC, Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing and Reba’s Malibu Country are receiving back orders, specifically an additional 5 episodes each. Since the sophomore and freshman series (respectively) got a late start this year, an extra five instead of nine is enough to get them through the season. If you’re a fan of LMS, here’s something to look forward to: TVLine reports that a Home Improvement reunion is being staged when Richard Karn (aka Al Borland) joins Tim Allen in a future episode scheduled to air early next year.

And last, after picking up freshman dramas Arrow and Beauty And The Beast, The CW has axed Emily Owens M.D. This week’s episode attracted a paltry 1 million viewers, scoring a 0.3/1 in the adults 18-49 demo. Though the CBS sister network is not used to seeing typical ratings found on the bigger broadcast nets, Emily Owens scored as the lowest rated new series this fall for them and so the cord has been cut.

FOX bumps ‘Touch’ to January

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Sour news, Touch fans. You’re going to have to wait a bit longer for the return of Martin Bohm and his gifted son Jake. Today FOX made a schedule adjustment, removing Touch from its fall lineup and replacing it with Kitchen Nightmares. Gordon Ramsay’s show will premiere Friday, October 26 at 8PM and Touch is being benched until midseason. The network has yet to decide where exactly on the schedule Touch will resume; all we know is that it returns for a second season in January 2013. Hopefully that bonus episode has the power to hold you over until then.

[Via TVLine]

FOX schedules bonus episode of ‘Touch’ before second season premieres

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Touch fans, listen here! Kiefer Sutherland’s Martin Bohm is returning to TV earlier than expected in a bonus episode that airs tomorrow night, Friday, September 14 at 8PM. The logline for “The Road Not Taken” goes like this:

In an all-new bonus episode, Martin’s car mysteriously breaks down in the town where he first became a reporter. When he begins to suspect his mentor is involved in illegal activity there, he risks severing their friendship in order to find the truth.

It’s certainly not the more reliable source, but according to Wikipedia this unaired episode is part of season one and takes place after the two-part finale “Gyre.” That final sequence when (spoiler alert) Martin and Jake connect with Amelia’s mother Lucy felt like a fantastic season ender; it will be interesting to see how this lost “episode 13” (which sounds like it may entirely be a flashback) plays into the story and where we left off.

Touch returns for its second season on October 26 on FOX. It will be paired with Fringe on Fridays.

TV reminder: ‘Touch’ preview event airs tonight on FOX [Update: solid ratings]

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Tonight FOX is airing the pilot episode of Tim Kring’s new drama Touch ahead of the show’s official March 19 premiere. Kiefer Sutherland (24) stars as Martin Bohm, a man who is estranged from his autistic son. In Touch, the Heroes creator tells an emotionally and spiritually uplifting story about a mute child who communicates with numbers and discovers patterns that connect seemingly unrelated events around the world. Though the show will take place in a myriad of locales and touch the lives of strangers, at the heart of this series is the relationship between Sutherland’s character and his gifted son. Watch the extended trailer once and you should immediately start anticipating tonight’s one-hour preview event. And then the wait until March will become all the more unbearable.

Touch airs tonight at 9PM on FOX.

Update: The ratings are in and it turns out many people were touched by Sutherland’s new show last night. The Touch pilot attracted 11.9 million viewers and scored a 3.9/10 among adults 18-49. This makes it the second highest rated new drama series this TV season. (ABC’s Once Upon a Time premiere still remains the highest rated drama series this season so far: 12.8 million viewers, 4.0 demo rating among the 18-49 crowd.) This bodes extremely well for Kring’s latest. People are positively buzzing about the show, and anticipation is high for the spring premiere. Did Touch grip you last night? Spill your thoughts in the comments section below.

2012 Winter TCAs: Tim Kring & Kiefer Sutherland on the upcoming “profound” FOX drama ‘Touch’

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At the center of Touch is Martin Bohm (Kiefer Sutherland), a widower and single father, haunted by an inability to connect to his mute 11-year-old son, Jake (David Mazouz). After multiple failed attempts at keeping Jake in school, Martin is visited by Clea Hopkins (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a social worker sent to evaluate Jake’s well-being. Everything changes when Martin discovers that Jake possesses the gift of staggering genius – the ability to see things that no one else can and the patterns that connect seemingly unrelated events. Jake is indeed communicating. But it’s not with words, it’s with numbers. Martin meets Arthur Dewitt (Danny Glover), a professor and an expert on children who possess special gifts when it comes to numbers. Now, it’s up to Martin to decipher the meaning and connect the numbers to the cast of characters whose lives they affect.

At the TCA winter press tour, Heroes creator Tim Kring shared his enthusiasm about his upcoming FOX drama Touch. “I can’t say enough about [FOX entertainment president] Kevin [Reilly]’s support. It was a script that I thought was a challenging one for a network to want to do to, I frankly didn’t think it would be done at a network. And Kevin read it and believed in it instantly and has absolutely been its tireless champion within the company. So I’m hugely indebted.”

Series star Kiefer Sutherland was also on hand to shed some light on how he landed the lead role and what exactly drew him to a show involving “global unity” and interconnectedness among human lives. Kring admits that he did not write the Martin Bohm character with Sutherland in mind. Additionally, Sutherland wasn’t so much interested in returning to TV after his long run on 24 which only concluded two years ago. But when he read the pilot script he was going to make an exception here. “I remember getting to Page 35 and thinking, ‘Shit. I’m in real trouble here,’ ” Sutherland shared. “The character is so vastly different [from that of 24‘s Jack Bauer], the tone of the piece is so vastly different. And that’s part of its appeal.” He continued, “I had to read the script twice to make sure that all the things that were affecting me were affecting me on a personal level as opposed to trying to manage a career. Does it happen to be a nice diversion from 24? Yes. I just couldn’t turn this down because it spoke to me on a really profound level.” He added, “My choice to do this had nothing to do with trying to get away from 24. It was because I want to spend hopefully the next seven or eight years sinking my teeth into something interesting.”

Sutherland made a comparison between his iconic 24 role and the new shoes he’s about to fill. “The one parallel between the two characters is Jack Bauer was asked to save the day, and there was always going to be casualties. Martin will never have an idyllic relationship with his son. With both characters, they’ll never completely win, and that’s something I’m drawn to as an actor.” At one point he described the father/son relationship between Martin and Jake as “really beautiful.”

After discussing how and why he positioned himself in the lead role, Sutherland described the logistics of Touch. “Some characters will be woven over [multi-episode] arcs, but Tim and I both learned – he from Heroes and me from 24 — that there is great value in a procedural drama. So every week there will be a set of circumstances set about by Jake that will put Martin in a situation to deal with someone new, and that situation will be resolved. There will be a beginning, a middle and an end, in theory, to every episode.”

Later, it was revealed that Kring’s son is autistic and that he is an inspiration for the show. Touch will explore the facets of autism and “Tim feels very responsible to stay true to [autism] in that regard,” says Sutherland. “So we’re not go to be making stuff up to explain stuff. We’re going to deal with the medicine and what doctors know.”

Before the panel could conclude, critics asked Sutherland about the current status of the 24 movie. He confirmed rumors that shooting will begin “at the end of April, beginning of May.” He teased that the movie is “relatively a direct continuation” of the series finale that aired on FOX in May 2010. We’re talking maybe six months from the end of that episode.” As previously reported, the movie will cover a 24-hour period in about two hours, so obviously it will not be told in real-time like the show was. Last, it was recently announced that Mary Lynn Rajskub’s Chloe will factor into the movie.

Touch premieres March 19. FOX will be airing a preview later this month on January 25 at 9PM.

[Via Deadline; TVLine 1, 2]

FOX prez Kevin Reilly on the future of ‘Fringe’, ‘House’, ‘Breaking In’, ‘Glee’, ‘Touch’

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This month at the Television Critics Association press tour, FOX entertainment president Kevin Reilly shared his thoughts on some of the network’s most popular shows.

Fortunately Reilly is an outspoken fan of the genre series Fringe. Thanks to his support and fan encouragement, he made the final decision to renew the show for another season. At the TCAs he shared his outlook for the upcoming season: “I don’t expect Fringe to grow. It’s a pretty complex show. If Fringe can do exactly what Fringe did last year, we’re going to be very happy. They’re right in the pocket creatively once again.” He understands going into season 4 that the ratings probably won’t grow past the stabilization that took place last year when the show moved Friday nights. As long as the cult following remains true to the series, I trust that Reilly will let Fringe run its course until the creators decide it’s time to end the story on their terms. He describes Fringe as “a creative show that deserve[s] to be on the air.”

Many expect that the upcoming season of House will be its last. Reilly commented on the speculation: “I can’t confirm that it’s the last season [though] we’ve talked pretty publicly about the potential for that. I’ve spoken to [the producers] and they want to go out strong, so we’re going to revisit that later in the fall.” In a recent interview with TVLine, House creator David Shore admitted that he’s not approaching this season as if it’s the last. He said, “Fox wants another season. I think enough of our fans want another season. [Universal Media Studios] wants another season. It may well be [the final season]. And we will know earlier rather then later because I want to do [the ending] right.” Reilly mentioned that if FOX were to drop the show before Shore has properly concluded the series, Universal Media Studios (the production house behind the show) might opt to shop it to other networks. But don’t bet on that happening. Either FOX will say they’re willing to renew the show later this fall, or they’ll advise Shore to start wrapping things up and mark season eight as the last.

After cancelling the breakout comedy Breaking In last season, FOX quickly extended the cast options so that if they were to figure out a way to bring it back from the dead in a timely manner the cast (consisting of Christian Slater, Brett Harrison and Odette Annable) would remain attached to the program. Reilly confirms that Breaking In will be a contender for the network’s two-hour midseason comedy block. It will battle returning series Raising Hope and newcomers I Hate My Teenage Daughter, New Girl, Little In Common, and Family Album for a spot. “We will revisit what makes that two-hour block later in the fall and make a decision [on Breaking In],” said Reilly.

Reilly also took time to comment on the recent Glee controversy involving graduating stars Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, and Cory Monteith. “I think it has taken on a little more heat and momentum than it in fact is. This show is a big management undertaking. There are many successful shows on the air that have genuine controversy and fighting. That has really not been the case. It is a good group of people with [different] personalities.” He confirmed that Rachel, Kurt, and Finn will be graduating at the end of the season 3 and that a spinoff series starring these characters might be developed. “We collectively decided to revisit [the spinoff] in the back half of the [season] when it should be visited. It got out [in the media early] and then got a little bit crazy.” These comments support what Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy told Deadline this month. Reilly also visited the rumored fractured relationship between Murphy and other co-creator Brad Falchuk. “Those guys get along really well. Brad is the most even-keeled, mild-mannered guy in the world. And Ryan is who he is. And that’s why we love him. He is a creative force… When that spinoff came around, I think his wheels started turning… and this got out. And I think the second it did, I think all of us were really surprised at how it took on a life of its own. This is something that was probably a two-day issue, that somehow it has taken on a bigger life.” Reilly went on to describe how the upcoming season will be “focused” and “back to basics.” He maintained, “There aren’t going to be any big guest stars, there aren’t going to be any tribute [episodes]. We’re focused on our core characters and relationships. [There will be] an incredibly clean arc. There will be a graduation at the end [of the season]. We know the three characters who will be graduating. How that’s going to play out I’m not going to say. There are some surprises; it’s not going to be predictable.”

Last, Reilly also made sure to share his excitement over the Tim Kring (Heroes) pilot starring Kiefer Sutherland (24) called Touch. He describes the pilot as “extraordinary” and says Sutherland’s role is “a new character but it does have some dose of Jack Bauer in it.” The show has yet to be scheduled and Reilly held that he “can’t confirm [the series order] yet, but [they’re] staffed on Touch and they’re writing scripts now.” He added, “Look, to be honest with you, if the pilot was lousy, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. But I think the pilot is potentially great.” In case you forget, the show will focus on a father (Sutherland) who discovers that his autistic, mute son (David Mazouz) can predict events before they happen. Danny Glover costars as “a professor and expert on children who possess special gifts,” reports TVLine. Lookout for Touch to premiere in midseason.

[Via Deadline; TVLine 1, 2, 3]

Upfronts: ABC 2011-2012 Schedule

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Ready for some brand-spankin’ new TV!? Every year the big networks hold their own press events to preview their new programming to advertisers and audiences. The Upfronts is a time when the networks release TV program information to the public like the creators, producers, and stars behind their new fall and mid-season shows. Jump after the break to browse the alphabet network’s upcoming TV lineup; there you’ll find trailers, synopses, and the complete fall schedule. But first start here and get acquainted with the fresh programming.

ABC’s 2011-12 schedule includes 13 new series. New comedies include Last Man Standing, Man Up, Suburgatory, Apartment 23, and Work It. New dramas include Revenge, Charlie’s Angels, Once Upon a Time, Pan Am, Good Christian Belles, Missing, The River, and Scandal.

When and where can you find these programs in the schedule? I’ll tell you! Nothing new on Mondays; there you’ll hit Dancing with the Stars (two hour performance show) and Castle. Tuesday packs two new comedies, more reality TV, and a returning drama; Tim Allen makes his return to primetime in Last Man Standing at 8PM, followed by Man Up, Dancing with the Stars (one hour results show), and Body of Proof. Wednesday night is still comedy night for ABC; new comedy Suburgatory is sandwiched between The Middle and Modern Family at the 8:30PM slot and the buzzy newcomer Happy Endings will return for a second season in the comfy post-Modern Family slot. New drama Revenge closes out the night at 10PM. Thursday is still home to Grey’s Anatomy and spin-off Private Practice, but now the night is anchored by the Charlie’s Angels remake. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has moved to Friday at 8PM to join Shark Tank and 20/20. Saturday has Saturday Night College Football. And Sunday is stuffed with three scripted dramas; new dramas Once Upon a Time and Pan Am surround ABC vet Desperate Housewives. America’s Funniest Home Videos will air that night in the early 7:30PM slot.

A number of ABC shows are being held for mid-season premieres. Cougar Town will return for a third season in the spring, as will The Bachelor, Secret Millionaire, What Would You Do?, and Wipeout; and the following new series will enter the fray around this time as well: comedies Apartment 23, Work It and dramas Good Christian Belles, Missing, The River, and Scandal.

And if you’re keeping track, the following ABC shows have been cancelled and will not be returning next season: No Ordinary Family, V, Brothers & Sisters, Detroit 1-8-7, Off the Map, The Whole Truth, Mr. Sunshine, Better With You, and My Generation.

*In case you’re wondering, ABC opted not to bring to series the Terry O’Quinn (Lost) starrer Hallelujah from Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives).

Continue reading Upfronts: ABC 2011-2012 Schedule →

Upfronts: FOX 2011-2012 Schedule

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Ready for some brand-spankin’ new TV!? Every year the big networks hold their own press events to preview their new programming to advertisers and audiences. The Upfronts is a time when the networks release TV program information to the public like the creators, producers, and stars behind their new fall and mid-season shows. Jump after the break to browse FOX’s upcoming TV lineup; there you’ll find trailers, synopses, and the complete fall schedule. But first start here and get acquainted with the fresh programming.

FOX’s 2011-12 schedule includes 12 new series. New comedies include New Girl, I Hate My New Daughter, Allen Gregory, and Napoleon Dynamite (the latter two are animated cartoons). New dramas include Terra Nova, Alcatraz, and The Finder. The X-Factor is the sole reality show addition for next season.

When and where can you find these programs in the schedule? I’ll tell you! Monday night packs two dramas; FOX staple House (which will be entering its eighth and likely final season, without Lisa Edelstein, see below) is being pushed to the 9PM slot to cushion Steven Spielberg’s highly buzzed about dino-epic Terra Nova. Tuesday night remains comedy night with the Zooey Deschanel-starrer New Girl cushioned between Glee and Raising Hope at the 9PM slot. Simon Cowell’s next big competition reality series The X Factor will air its one-and-a-half-hour performance show Wednesday nights and the one-hour results show the following night. I Hate My Teenage Daughter, a half-hour comedy starring Jaime Pressly, airs after the performance show on Wednesdays; FOX veteran Bones airs after the results show on Thursdays. Friday nights will be familiar to all: Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares and the best sci-fi show on TV Fringe will occupy the 8PM and 9PM slots respectively. Saturdays are home to back-to-back episodes of Cops, followed by America’s Most Wanted. FOX has all but cancelled their longest running series; AMW is being limited to four quarterly two-hour specials. And lastly Sunday night is Animation Domination, per usual. Following the NFL-post game The OT, the following animated ‘toons will air between 7:30PM and 10PM: The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, Allen Gregory (new), Family Guy, and American Dad.

A number of FOX shows are being held for mid-season premieres. American Idol returns January 22 and will take over The X Factor‘s positions on Wednesday and Thursday nights. House will be bumped back to the 8PM slot to make way for the new mysterious series from J.J. Abrams called Alcatraz on Monday. Following the Idol results show on Thursday will be the Bones spinoff The Finder. And the spring Animation Domination Sunday looks like this: ‘toon encores will air in the early 7:30PM slot, Napoleon Dynamite get sandwiched between The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, and Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers will occupy American Dad‘s 9:30PM slot. When Glee goes on a short hiatus between March and April, FOX plans to expand the Tuesday night comedy block with single-camera comedy Family Album (starring Glee‘s Mike O’Malley) and Little in Common (starring Rob Corddry and Kevin Hart); one or both may make the cut. Lastly, Tim Kring’s Touch starring Kiefer Sutherland is also being saved for a mid-season launch.

And if you’re keeping track, FOX went mad and cancelled the following shows; these will not be returning next season: Human Target, Lie To Me, The Chicago Code, Breaking In, Traffic Light, Running Wilde, and The Good Guys.

*Dr. Cuddy is checking out of House early. This unfortunate news comes after many of the other stars re-upped their contracts for the upcoming season. Lisa Edelstein’s original contract expires at the end of this current season, and she decided to not follow her castmates into what’s likely to be the show’s final season. The show is undergoing some budgetary cuts, and so her decision not to come back is likely due to a pay cut. Bummer. This is what Edelstein had to say on the matter: “After much consideration, I am moving onward with a combination of disappointment at leaving behind a character I have loved playing for seven years and excitement of the new opportunities in acting and producing that lie ahead.”

*FOX has decided not to pick up the anticipated spooky sci-fi series Locke and Key from Josh Friedman, Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, and some guy named Steven Spielberg. The show, based on the Joe Hill comic book of the same name, is currently being shopped around network and cable station. Sources say studio 20th Century Fox TV is pitching it to The CW and Syfy, so let’s hope the adaptation can find a home elsewhere before it turns to dust.

*The network has locked a deal with Warner Bros. to bring back The Flintstones to broadcast TV! Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane has been tapped to helm the venture. And for him this is a life-long dream come true. In fact, MacFarlane claims that Fred Flintstone was the first cartoon character he ever drew at age 2. The Flintstones will return to animated form in 2013 with production beginning this fall. MacFarlane commented on the exciting news: “So it’s appropriate that events have come full circle, allowing me to produce the newest incarnation of this great franchise. Plus, I think America is finally ready for an animated sitcom about a fat stupid guy with a wife who’s too good for him.” He added that while the characters will remain the same, new technology will enter the land. He questioned, “What is the animal version of an iPad?” FOX president Kevin Reilly said, “The Flintstones are among the funniest and most beloved characters in television history, and we can’t wait to introduce them to a whole new generation on Fox. FOX has long been home to iconic families like the Simpsons and the Griffins, so I have no doubt that the Flintstones and the Rubbles are going to fit right in on our air.”

Continue reading Upfronts: FOX 2011-2012 Schedule →

Concept: Foldable E-Ink newspaper display

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The Page, designed by Jae Kim.

With all the buzz surrounding iPad this and iPad that, it’s nice to see someone else thinking outide the box when it comes to reinventing the way we read newspapers and other print media.  Designer Jae Kim has conceptualized The Page, a foldable display that features a semi-transparent E-Ink screen that displays text and images.  Screens that can bend into various shapes and sizes have been conceptually implemented in the past, so this certainly isn’t the first player to the game.  However, it does feature a number of interesting UI enhancements, including automatic column formatting depending on its shape and interactive page navigation on a flat surface.  Check it out in all its concept-y glory in the video above.  There’s some stills waiting below, too.

[Via Designboom; Gizmodo]

Navigating a 13.3 gigapixel image, Minority Report style

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Students at the University of Tromso in Norway have put together a ginormous interactive display wall.  The 22-megapixel display utilizes 28 projectors to spit out a resolution of 7,168 x 3,072.  It’s multitouch capabilities allow users to interact with the wall in a myriad of ways, Tom Cruise-style; gestures include hand swipes for panning and snapping fingers for zooming in.  And all of this can be down without actually touching the wall.  But how is that possible?  A number of floor-mounted cameras pick up your gestures in 1D and a 30 node computer setup manages to group together the various perspectives to determine 2D location.  In the demo video above, the wall outputs a 13.3 gigapixel highly detailed image of Trosmo.  Check it out and be blown away be its awesome power.

[Via University of Trosmo; Engadget]

Interacting with a flexible display

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Impress flexible display, designed by Silke Hilsing.

German designer Silke Hilsing created an interactive “flexible” display using Arduino and sensors.  How does it work?  Simple really: Sensors are sandwiched in-between layers of foam; when you touch the foam surface this triggers the sensors to turn on and communicate with an overhead projector which displays a beam of lights onto the surface from above.  The surface can “feel” the level of intensity as you push down on it with your hand; the harder you push, more information (colors, light, text) is displayed.  The motivation behind this concept?   “…to remove the technical stiffness from touch screens, bring the technology closer to the user by making it more human.”  Interesting…

[Via DesignBoom; Gizmodo; SilkeHilsing]