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Redefining interaction between users and their devices

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Soma Tah
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MUMBAI, INDIA: As every technology enthusiast will know, 2013 was a significant year. A year that saw the relationship between humans and digital devices grow ever more strong. In view of the changes that we saw in the technology realm last year, we need to brace ourselves for further innovations in 2014. Innovations which will move consumers and their digital devices even closer.

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This was a year of great new ideas and well timed advances in the interactive technology sphere. The question thus, is what the future holds for us now? Can 2013 be outdone? Will 2014 bring in technologies and trends that will shift the interactive landscape even further? It's safe to say however, that going by the trend we will witness many fledging technologies mature and grow from being underground projects to gaining mainstream currency in the coming year.

Consumer technological devices such as mobiles and laptops from being purely utilitarian have almost become inseparable extensions of our personality. Technology is becoming ever more personal. Case in point: The mobile phone. From the waking us up in the morning to checking our mails on the way to office, from scheduling our day's activity on the fly to helping us find restaurants and discounts, the weather for your trip

tomorrow, and of course making calls, the mobile phone is an inseparable organ our being.

Digital devices in 2014 will further aid every aspect and function of our lives. Let's take a quick peak back to see how far we have really come. In 2007, the launch of iPhone revolutionised the handset screen and triggered an avalanche of touch screen development in various sizes and forms. Apple essentially simplified phone interaction so that one didn't have to get familiar with the interface to enjoy the device.

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‘Wii You', ‘PS4' with AR and ‘Kinect One' enabled the consumer market to interact with on screen elements through motion. This opened up a world of possibilities. Touch-less interactivity through motion and gesture added a new level of experience to the traditional methods of engagement with digital devices.In the quest to make interactions between physical and digital world ever more fluid and frictionless yet another game changer is on the cards.

Sensory innovation in technology is set to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years. The five senses would become the core of innovation. The purpose, to interact with the digital world just as one would in the real world.

Let's explore the ways these unique devices would alter our engagement with the digital space and further reshape our daily lives.

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Taking Touch to the Next Level

This year saw Apple and Samsung introduce something called the ‘Smart Window', a large transparent glass touch screen overlaid with touch-controlled widgets. Displays such as this will allow interaction through multiple touch points.

2014 will see the rise of multi-touch and smart window technology and similar such devices which would enable the sort of interaction with physical objects we are used to in our real lives. This technology will enable simultaneous interaction with multiple users making it vital for museums, retail environments, trade shows and exhibitions.

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The evolution of technology doesn't just stop here. The ongoing big data revolution and cloud collaboration, in 2014 will enable even consumer grade digital devices to compute and analyze information like never before, making our interactions more meaningful and therefore more enlightening. For example, the window in your office may add a tint as the weather gets too sunny for you based on past data! The potential of this technology is certainly limitless.

Tangible Devices Turn Smarter

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The usage of smart phones and tablets will only rise and the increasing trend of connecting them to other electronic gadgets will open up a realm of possibilities. In 2014, rather than pulling out your iPad or mobile to check an email, text or social media updates all you will have to do is to glance at your watch.

2014 is also the year to keep an eye on the ‘Google Watch'. The device aims to provide all the Googly-ness you desire just from the surface of the humble watch. We'll see smart watches become smarter. They will learn what news & updates are important to us and when we want to receive them. They will work like a breeze with voice controls. Needless to say, we are about to see a further increase in technology controlling or lives!

The Eroding Line between Virtual and Real Worlds

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The introduction of ‘Google Glass' caught our attention in 2013. It has not yet been introduced for general use and the technology is still at a nascent stage. And looking at the media reports, it still has some time before it can be considered a mainstream technology product.

This technology allows you to augment reality with information accessible through the internet, take hands-free pictures and videos, effortlessly translate your voice, and even receive overlaid walking, cycling or driving directions, right within your field of vision.

It's being said that both ‘Google Glass 2.0', and its companion, the ‘Glass App' Store, will be released to the general public sometime in 2014. The coming year will also see the emergence of competition in this sector particularly from other mass consumer electronic players like ‘Samsung'. Much of this competition would be aimed at niche market segments rather than the public at large. The success of these products in niche segments would pave the way for mass markets in years to come.

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Transforming Brand Engagements: Co-creating Experiences

Imagine co-creating experiences by the consumer! Experiences that can be created in spaces consumers are comfortable in. An experience that not only leaves the consumer excited but is also etched in his mind for a long time! Experiences such as this will lead to the creation of a strong relationship between brands and their consumer segments. This is the next level of communication where consumers do not merely listen to your brand, but live it!

Interactive technology can lead to collaborative engagement as consumers play a role in the entire experience. The advances in interactive technology will help create immersive experiences in any space. Through a simple projection set-up, a brand will be able to transform any surface from a wall or a floor into an interactive environment bringing a campaign to life. An interactive experience can elevate a good brand thought into an unforgettable brand experience.

Innovative brand experiences help capture a larger brand space in the consumer's mind. The use of interactive technology through touch, motion, or gesture will also enable a higher level of engagement. Brands across the world have been using aspects of interactive technology due to its intuitive nature. Technological advances will propel the next level of augmented reality where the audience can not only interact with the illusion, but have the illusion interact back with them.

Technology integration and collaboration is also another trend to watch out for. Technologies like Apple TV will gain more ground and become more widely acceptable. Gesture on consumer devices like for TVs will also gain wider acceptability. The makers of the original ‘Kinect' device, ‘PrimeSense's' takeover by Apple is a sign of such things to come.

And Finally...

The technology debate too will get louder. On one had the fears of technology dependence and intrusion and on the other the obvious benefits in creating valuable engagement.With motion, gesture, and touch becoming ever more intuitive, it will propel technology adoption from early adopter infancy to mainstream technology usage like never before.

As technology advances further, what ensures the survival of each new technology is that it adds more value to the lives of people than the privacy or the attention span it takes away! What is of interest however is what really heats up the mainstream and what fizzles away into tech obscurity this year. And 2014 should not disappoint!

The author is the founder of TouchMagix Media

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