Transparent Desktop out of UNC
This is a bit of software that got me pretty excited today. Not because I have a dire need for this technology to get my own work done on the computer, but just because it’s so simple, and perfect for it’s purpose.
Programmers at UNC at Chapel Hill have written a bit of code that allows them to create a transparent desktop in OSX, with a video feed imposed behind. The idea is that people would colaborate on computer based work such as programming or writing, and give feedback through an A/V conference. Because the video is positioned directly behind the work at hand, the remote user can easily point and gesture at the work, making communication much more natural.
The story states that prototype code was writen up in less than an hour, because OSX uses the same graphics system for everything displayed on the screen. The Quartz rendering engine can make anything on the screen transparent. Another reason this got my attention is because I plan on getting a 12″ Powerbook very soon, and I love to see much innovation happening on the platform.
Find the whole story here from Wired.com: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,64129,00.html?tw=wn_3techhead
It has many details I left out!