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This simple prototype demonstrates a method of on-screen navigation. It turns the computer screen into a window looking onto a larger world. For an exhibit, an accelerometer (tilt sensor) is affixed to the underside of a monitor or projection surface. Below shows a quick mockup: the accelerometer is attached to a prototyping board with Basic Stamp microcontroller, which sends tilt data into the computer's serial port (actually the USB port of the Powerbook, via Keyspan DB9-to-USB adapter). I hastily taped the whole lot to the top side of the laptop, so that it can be opened up flat, and held parallel to the floor for tilting. If it does not detect the accelerometer input, it reverts to mouse control. This demo has proven so compelling and popular, that I predict that this (or something like it) will become a standard method of interaction for small-display devices such as PDAs.
Update: Powerbooks now include an accelerometer built in, which can be tapped - see here. Thanks also to Jan Borchers who demonstrated it to me at CAIF.
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