Apple exploring motion-based 3D user interface for iPhone

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014


Apple has shown interest in developing a new user interface for the iPhone that relies less on the device's touchscreen, and more on manipulating a 3D environment with motion controls.



The concept was revealed this week in a new patent application discovered by AppleInsider and entitled "Sensor Based Display Environment." It describes a three-dimensional display environment that uses orientation data from onboard sensors, like a gyroscope and compass, to navigate the system.



In the application, Apple notes that problems can occur when using a 3D user interface with a touchscreen. The application refers to 3D as polygons on the screen of a traditional iPhone, rather than the "illusion" of 3D by sending two different images to each eye with a new, special display.



"Due to the limited size of the typical display on a mobile device, a 3D GUI can be difficult to navigate using conventional means, such as a finger or stylus," the filing reads. "For example, to view different perspectives of the 3D GUI, two hands are often needed: one hand to hold the mobile device and the other hand to manipulate the GUI into a new 3D perspective."



Apple could remove the need to touch the screen entirely by using orientation data from onboard sensors to determine a "perspective projection of the 3D display environment." Examples of this kind of interaction can be seen with augmented reality applications, or using the gyroscope to view a location with Google Street View in the iOS Maps application.



But Apple's concept would take the idea much further, potentially offering users the ability to navigate the device using motion. In one illustration, the iPhone is shown with a home screen featuring a floor, back wall, ceiling and side walls.



Users would navigate the iPhone by picturing the display as an "imaginary camera viewfinder" offering a glimpse into a digital world. By moving the imaginary viewfinder around, the orientation of the iPhone would determine what is displayed to the user on the screen.











As users look about their virtual room, a number of objects can be placed on the floor, walls, ceiling and even behind them. These objects could be selected and would allow users to navigate the device.



The filing also makes note of a "snap to" feature that could make navigation a quicker process. By doing a preset action, such as shaking the iPhone, the view could automatically "snap to" a predetermined camera view of the 3D user interface.



The proposed invention, made public this week by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, was first filed in July of 2010. It is credited to one inventor: Patrick Piedmonte.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 22
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    If you want to know the weather forecast, look up at the sky with the phone in the way
  • Reply 2 of 22
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    This is a great concept because it allows people to organize their digital life just like there physical life. In my case, everything would be on a pile on the floor...
  • Reply 3 of 22
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Second Life comes to IOS
  • Reply 4 of 22
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member
    This is why Apple own apps tend to look like real life object. So when they decide to go this route the user will be at ease handling iCal or Address Book on the desktop.
  • Reply 5 of 22
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jkichline View Post


    This is a great concept because it allows people to organize their digital life just like there physical life. In my case, everything would be on a pile on the floor...



    I wonder will my screen be as messy as my room? Ha!
  • Reply 6 of 22
    This seems odd. Will I have to turn in circles to see different parts of my GUI?



    I was imagining very different things coming to this article...
  • Reply 7 of 22
    801801 Posts: 271member
    Seems logical. Have been reading up on the power of the Games Everywhere Interface movement.



    If you have a Toyota Hybrid you will understand what I mean. If interested check out the TED talk :

    http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/tom...the_brain.html
  • Reply 8 of 22
    Good way to justify the presence of gyroscope into iPhones ... I always found it was under utilized ...
  • Reply 9 of 22
    clemynxclemynx Posts: 1,552member
    I can't imagine ever using such a function. Turning on myself, or rotating the phone seem very impractical and gimmicky.
  • Reply 10 of 22
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ClemyNX View Post


    I can't imagine ever using such a function. Turning on myself, or rotating the phone seem very impractical and gimmicky.



    I don't think it will happen either. The phone will stick with touchscreen. Maybe when the iPhone has evolved in to iGlasses, and there is no touchscreen, and all you can do is turn your head, these kind of UI will start to emerge.
  • Reply 11 of 22
    This looks like a desktop replacement Bumptop. I used to use it for my Mac, but it was originally for Windows. It was awesome...it added dimensions and physics to my desktop. It was much more useful than I thought it would be.



    But Google bought them a couple of years ago and stopped updating it. And just like about half of the software on my Mac after Lion it just stopped working right. I just wish Mission Control worked.
  • Reply 12 of 22
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ClemyNX View Post


    I can't imagine ever using such a function. Turning on myself, or rotating the phone seem very impractical and gimmicky.



    I just imagine a packed city bus at rush hour with roughly 50% of the people having an iPhone and every one is turning and bending in all sorts of directions to pick up some virtual items in their virtual rooms .
  • Reply 13 of 22
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by j2-core View Post


    This looks like a desktop replacement Bumptop. I used to use it for my Mac, but it was originally for Windows. It was awesome...it added dimensions and physics to my desktop. It was much more useful than I thought it would be.



    But Google bought them a couple of years ago and stopped updating it. And just like about half of the software on my Mac after Lion it just stopped working right. I just wish Mission Control worked.



    What is the half of software on your machine that doesn't work?
  • Reply 14 of 22
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by burtonman View Post


    What is the half of software on your machine that doesn't work?



    He just bought a new Mac after coming off a System 7 computer and he's confused why Clarisworks 1.0 doesn't work for him anymore.
  • Reply 15 of 22
    lilgto64lilgto64 Posts: 1,147member
    I am suing Apple for causing motion sickness induced by this interface.
  • Reply 16 of 22
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ascii View Post


    I don't think it will happen either. The phone will stick with touchscreen. Maybe when the iPhone has evolved in to iGlasses, and there is no touchscreen, and all you can do is turn your head, these kind of UI will start to emerge.



    gotta agree.
  • Reply 17 of 22
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by brutus009 View Post


    This seems odd. Will I have to turn in circles to see different parts of my GUI?



    I was imagining very different things coming to this article...



    it would certainly have very limited usefulness as described in the article.



    For that reason and other cues, I think the author has this completely wrong. This reads to me much more like a way of navigating a (real) internal space like an Apple store or of navigating a virtual reality Apple store that maps to a real space.



    As a GUI to navigate one's phone it makes no sense at all. One obvious flaw being that there is no place to go on a phone that has no file system. The only "spaces" are the home screens and navigating them in 3D would seem to offer no advantages versus the 2D method we have now and yet have significant drawbacks attached.
  • Reply 18 of 22
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    it would certainly have very limited usefulness as described in the article.



    For that reason and other cues, I think the author has this completely wrong. This reads to me much more like a way of navigating a (real) internal space like an Apple store or of navigating a virtual reality Apple store that maps to a real space.



    As a GUI to navigate one's phone it makes no sense at all. One obvious flaw being that there is no place to go on a phone that has no file system. The only "spaces" are the home screens and navigating them in 3D would seem to offer no advantages versus the 2D method we have now and yet have significant drawbacks attached.



    Agreed...and that would be awesome...more gimmicky than necessary but still useful...IMO.



    Apple stores already have great signage and whatnot. But I guess extra data not displayed could be shown on the augmented reality store to save you from having to ask questions...etc.



    hmmm...maybe not so gimmicky.
  • Reply 19 of 22
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    As a GUI to navigate one's phone it makes no sense at all. One obvious flaw being that there is no place to go on a phone that has no file system. The only "spaces" are the home screens and navigating them in 3D would seem to offer no advantages versus the 2D method we have now and yet have significant drawbacks attached.



    duh?

    a file system isn't more inherently spatial than any other data structure.







    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 801 View Post


    Seems logical. Have been reading up on the power of the Games Everywhere Interface movement.



    If you have a Toyota Hybrid you will understand what I mean. If interested check out the TED talk :

    http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/tom...the_brain.html



    Yep I know about that movement and everytime I come across their ideas I get utterly depressed.

    The talk you linked, while interesting, gave me again the same feelings. It seems I'm getting old...
  • Reply 20 of 22
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ClemyNX View Post


    I can't imagine ever using such a function. Turning on myself, or rotating the phone seem very impractical and gimmicky.



    Have you tried the Star Walk app? It'll give you an idea of how this would work.
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