Reflections Magazine Issue #69 - Spring 2009 | Page 11

Campus Feature

By Doug Goodnough

Siena Heights Students Unite to Create Multi-Touch Computer Screen

I

magine the iPhone on steroids.

That is a concept a new, technology-oriented
student group at Siena Heights University is
developing.
Using what is called multi-touch technology,
students from different academic disciplines
have joined intellectual forces to form Computer Physics United (CPU). Recently they created
a “hands-on” computer screen that operates
with a touch of a finger.
“Multi-touch in a way is like an iPhone,” said
group organizer Joel Parrish of the cellular
phone that has revolutionized the mobile phone
industry. “Its principles are the same. You do
computing with multiple touches. You can look
at pictures, and instead of clicking on a button
to zoom in, you just take your fingers and pinch
or pull, like you would in real life. It’s more
about making the experience more natural.”
Parrish, a junior Computer and Information
Systems major at SHU, first thought he could
create the multi-touch screen on his own, but
soon realized he needed help in areas like physics, mathematics – even art. He and fellow CIS
major Daniel Pitts and physics major Nick
Voicechovski formed CPU in the hope of
accomplishing common goals.
“We started from scratch,” Voicechovski said.
“We’re not part of a company. We’re just three
guys who put our heads together and decided
to go with it.”
“Joel was interested in what I was doing in 3-D
modeling,” said Pitts, a former Marine attending SHU on the GI Bill. “He told me about the
group he was putting together, and, of course,
I was really excited to get into it.”

Using a trial-and-error process, CPU recently
created its first multi-touch screen—for less
than $200.
“Everyone has a part in it,” Parrish said of the
project process. “Everyone has different skills
they bring, and through that we worked out all
the kinks and got a working model.”
Voicechovski addressed the physics, chemistry
and mathematical elements of the project, while
Pitts contributed his video gaming expertise.
They credit Parrish as the “genius” behind it all.
Although the CPU group is just a few months
old, members have already attracted the attention of the NUI Group, a national interactive
technology media organization. NUI invited
CPU members to its Interactive Displays Conference April 21-23 in Silicon Valley, Calif.

“You can set your phone on the (multi-touch
screen) table, and it will connect to your phone
and will drop your pictures on the table,” Parrish
explained. “If another person puts their phone
on the table, you can take the picture with your
finger and drag it to their phone, and