G-speak Blog Post

G-Speak

After doing some research on the g-speak computer technology, my first impression is "WOW".  From my research, I can see that g-speak was created with a vision to take computer interfaces, and change them completely. Lets look at how it applies to the real world and how companies are using it now.

How it works

G-speak technology uses multiple screens, hand gestures, three-dimensional space, two-dimensional space, and physical objects to show images and data. Looking at the list above, you can see how different this interface is from normal operation systems that we use today; keyboard and or mouse. From the move Minority Report, the g-speak technology idea was shown, and today the very same concept and design is used. I think the best way to explain what g-speak looks like is to actually see it. Check out the video below:

Who is using it?

G-speak is all about the spatial environment in which the user can travel and move throughout the interface. The company that is offering g-speak as a technology tool is called "Oblong Industries". The Chief Executive officer  John Underkoffler says that in five years, when you buy a computer "you will get this" referring to the g-speak interface. Even though it isn't widely available to everyday consumers, many companies use these technologies. In cooperate environments, this technology is definitely useful. With deadlines and meetings across departments, there is a need for continuity among projects. Check out this video that shows the practical application of the g-speak interface.

Mezzanine: Innovate Your Workspace from Oblong Industries on Vimeo.

What does this mean for us?

As a teacher, I try to find how this can (and will) change the way I teach in my classroom. If the technology is shown to be as useful as the creators suggest, the possibilities in the classroom could be great. With Smartboards and Interactive whiteboards having mixed reviews, I believe this type of interface has something that can overcome the negative stigma that technology has in the classroom. For instance, students participating in a project based lesson could collaborate more efficiently through an interface like this to build a product or a model of a produce. Not to mention the level of engagement this would bring, students would be much more active in their own learning with this type of tool. I can see students in a classroom learning about biology with rich graphs and models of population economics or sunlight amounts projecting right along side of the actual entity the graphs are describing. As students search the globe, they can explore different parts of world with gestures and manipulations with their hands.