ArchivedLogs:Interacting with Holograms

Interacting with Holograms
Dramatis Personae Emma, Samuel	2013-06-03 '
Location <NYC> Griffith Solutions - Workshop Location
Samuel's office is remote. the waiting room outside has a terminal on the wall through which people let him know they've arrived. There are a few magazines, some advertising his business while others seem to be the random assortment found in waiting rooms everywhere The office itself is noticeable for two things, firstly there's no sign of decoration, the walls a simple tan, the furniture likewise simple light colours. However there are several screens dotted around the room. The desk that marks the centre of the room holds a single large screen, but no sign of input devices. Off to one side of the desk rests a couple of light tan sofas and a coffee table. A coffee machine can be seen resting against the wall, next to a second door, one that looks far more secure than the door into the office. Samuel sits in his office, his hand resting lightly on his desk, he watches as the screen before him begins to display a long series of binary, the code quickly disappearing as he rises from the desk and begins towards the coffee machine. He begins to make the coffee as he waits for the appointment. Emma shows up on time for her appointment - nay, a few minutes early, turning up in his waiting room, decked out all in white. Her suit, the color of freshly fallen snow, is comprised of a knee length pencil skirt and a form fitting jacket, with a razorback vest and a breezy, sheer blouse that peeks out from beneath the layers in ruffles at her neck. The only 'color' in her outfit are the thick rimmed black glasses that sit perched upon her nose and ears, the ends hidden amongst the light and wavy hair framing her face, and the small black cover on her tablet. She walks directly up to the desk of the receptionist/ assistant on duty and presents a card. "Emma Frost, here to see Mr. Griffith. I have an appointment." Nodding the young man makes a quick check of his notepad. He offers Emma a wide smile. "Of course Miss Frost. If you'll give me one moment." The young man pushes a button on the intercom. Speaking a few hushed words before turning his attention to the door. "Please, head right in Miss Frost." Samuel turns to face the door, he wears what appears to be a genuine smile as he waits for Emma to come in. Emma raises an eyebrow as she walks past the receptionist and opens the door, something crawling up her spine like an itch and causing her to stand up straighter. She puts on a more pleasant smile as the door swings open and encounters Samuel in his smile. "Please say, Mr. Griffith, that I am the first person to visit you from the Hellfire Club since your membership started." She clasps her hands over her tablet in front of her, her eyes scanning the room quickly. "You are." Samuel shrugs a shoulder faintly. "I have very few visitors here." There's a faint spike in the strange static that passes for his mental activity, he motions towards one of the seats. "Please take a seat." He moves towards the coffee machine. "I keep the public image away from my workshop as a rule. This place is where I try to take those meetings I must while I'm trying to crack a new project." He studies Emma for a moment. "Would you care for a drink?" "Then you have a place where you intend to present your public image?" Emma eyes the seat for a moment before settling down on it, carefully, keeping her spine upright and away from the back support. "Thank you, yes. Cream and sugar, please." She crosses one leg over the other, the fabric around her thighs rustling softly. "Am I a meeting you must take?" A soft 'hmm' reverberates in her throat, her lips still close. She is still fixated by the room, for lack of other distracting factors. Nodding Sam begins to make the coffee. His expression becoming amused. "No, I enjoyed our previous conversation. I'll admit I've actually looked forward to this meeting." He turns back to offer a cup of coffee to Emma. "I invited you here because it's where my workshop is." He motions to the still closed door. He then takes a seat himself. "If you would rather take the public tour I'd be happy to offer you that instead?" He sips his coffee, studying Emma as he does so. "Really?" Emma seems pleased with Sam's complimentary remarks. She turns in her seat to look at him a little better. "I am fine with the private tour and do prefer a bit intimacy to my meetings. I have just come from work and work is definitely still on my mind. I understand that a workspace needs certain things, like privacy and security, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it can't also have some style." She draws in a deep breath and looks toward the door in question. Her interest is interrupted by the presentation of the coffee. "Thank you." Laughing Sam seems to relax a touch himself. "I should decorate it's true. But what sense of style I may have tends to be forgotten when I'm working." He shrugs a shoulder. "I can tend towards the myopic when I get immersed into my work." He takes another sip of his coffee before glancing around the room. "Though perhaps one day I shall hire someone to redecorate for me... When I'm away that is." "I can give you a recommendation or two, if you're interested." Emma offers, turning again to get comfortable. "I appreciate that you were excited to see me, and I definitely feel that you're providing me with an opportunity that few receive, but the few that do will appreciate the small touches. Like having a welcoming receptionist who makes the coffee for you - and presents it on a pleasant tray, perhaps with treats. It might get you more investors." She sips at her coffee. "I am sorry. If we don't change the subject, this will be all I talk about. Please, tell me about your work!" Arching an eyebrow Samuel nods. "The receptionist is a temporary measure. Hopefully soon the building will be completely automated. Including the coffee and snacks." He smiles as he looks at his lab. "But my work at present? Beyond the fairly mundane software I deal in... And I could talk all day on the issues present in the software I'm hoping to replace." He shakes his head. "But of more interest to expanding my business is the hardware." There's an excited glint to his eye now. "I have been making some progress with holographic displays for tablets and other mobile appliances." He chuckles a little. "I have a few examples of reliable holographic projection technology, but it's... cumbersome without a means to interact with the projected information. I have a few ideas in that field, but nothing that's ready to test just yet." He shrugs a shoulder as he places down his coffee. "In truth investors aren't the problem. I would be much more inclined towards... Advertising. As this room suggests, hardly my strong suit." He sighs quietly. "I am at heart an inventor. I write code and make devices to run that code." "So you have said before," Emma reminds him with a small smile, lips pressing tight to keep it from growing into a larger one. "I hate to be forward, but do you have anything I could... actually see? I of course ask selfishly. If you need help with getting connected to an advertising firm - I can help with that, but seeing what you have may help me figure out the /best/ connections to use." Nodding Samuel rises from his seat, heading to his desk he offers a faint grin. "Of course." He returns with a simply tablet, pushing the button an image forms, a simple screen saver style of moving shapes. It demonstrates a fair range. Though the image is weak." He frowns as he studies the model. "No one else has seen this, it's simply proof of concept for holographic tablets." He places it down on the table. "The primary concern is of course power. Especially since I've started to work on the interactive display." Emma scoots her chair closer to the desk and becomes completely enraptured by the prototype. Her hand reaches out to see if she can move through the displayed image. "Interactive - you mean you're incorporating the idea of touch screen to that of holographic displays? Is that practical? I can't..." She's stunned, a little speechless, her eyes shifting from the image to the tablet itself, trying to figure out where the projection is coming from. Frowning at the image, Sam frowns looking less than impressed with the results. "It's simple 3D projection, it's simply done on a smaller scale. Unfortunately the images are less than reliable, especially in strong light." He grins at the question of interaction. "I'm considering means of interacting with the holograms... I've got a few ideas, but nothing that's ready to be intergrated just yet." He seems to consider Emma for a moment, his eyes meeting her as he carefully picks up the device from the table. "I've toyed with a sensor device, it would allow for you to interact with the images, it's the easiest method. But the most cumbersome. The alternative however is..." He offers a vaguely roguish grin. "Well, it's best if you see." He heads over to the door to his workshop, his hand reaching for a panel by the door, causing it to slide open. Emma allows Samuel to take the tablet from the table, meeting his eyes as he does, listening quietly to his explanation. All comments she may make on the subject as more delightful technology calls her attention away, first with the hidden panel, then with the promise of a workshop. She gets up quietly and smiles shyly, her attention divided between the person talking to her and what lies behind the door. "I would wonder," does start to leak out as she waits upon Sam to enter that workshop, "if a glove of some sort might start facilitating the transition to purely touch interactive holograms. It's not entirely outlandish, as people are getting magnets surgically implanted these days. A magnetized glove or fingertip cover could start to bridge the gap, giving the computer something to sense beyond simple movement." As Samuel enters the workshop several lights turn on. The room's large, easily the largest of the rooms he occupies. And unlike the sterile feel of the office, this room shows signs that someone has made it their own. Several workbenches are placed around the room, most with paperwork, or components on them. Several computers hum away, working constantly on whatever problem is currently being handled. The walls in this room have pictures hung, simple pieces. Photos and sketches alike showing landscapes of London. Along the far wall rests a TV and full fridge. A Sofa sits facing the TV, a couple of pillows hinting that it's been used as a bed in the past. Laughing Samuel smiles to Emma. "We're following a similar train of thought. Though at present that's still a way off. The hardest part is fitting everything within a mobile platform." He ignores the room for the most part. His attention instead turning to a device roughly the size of a laptop. "The idea for now is to create a means of measuring your location in three dimensions rather than two. A glove interface can manage that. Then the holograms are simply a visual representation." Emma clasps her hands behind her back, gripping her table as she walks, looking around the room, smiling a little at the artwork. Then of course, she begins looking for the tech. "Ahh, how large, exactly, is the fully function prototype? are we talking the size of this room, or is it just the size of a standard computer, because that's probably marketable. Desktop PCs haven't completely left the workplace yet." "At present I have proof of concept models, the issue is mostly one of integration." Shrugging Sam smiles. "I can get you something much smaller, these are just to test results." Sam picks up what looks like a thimble, plugging it into the laptop like device he sighs quietly. "The main concern at present is power, giving the technology enough power is proving... difficult." He turns on the screen. tapping in a few buttons at the computers keyboard. "This will demonstrate the idea for interaction." The screen blinks to life, a graph appearing, showing the x y and z axis. Sam places the thimble like device on his index finger, taking a moment to ensure it's secure he makes several motions over device on the table. The screen begins to display the devices position on the graph. He pauses looking at Emma with an almost boyish grin. "With this you'd have the impression of being able to interact with the holograms." He sighs as he looks at the device. "There are still bugs with both of the technologies. But they're manageable." He turns his attention to Emma as he unhooks the device. "So, what do you think? As someone interested in technology?" "It's very promising. I have to say that I'm not entirely sure why you're so motivated at this point to make it mobile." Emma leans forward and watches the way the graph interacts with Samuel's movements, glancing several times at the fingertip cover that he is using. "Power issues would be less demanding with a power cord, as opposed to a strict battery limitation. Or, are you saying that the city's electrical bills will skyrocket because the voltage required maxes out that even of a microwave oven?" She straightens up and relaxes a little as she examines the inventor now. "What I'm saying is that I'm excited about this and would love to have one of my own, as it develops, which is why I'm jump directly to marketability." Laughing Samuel arches an eyebrow. The technology to make the larger model already exists. We have it. all that needs be done is putting the pieces together." Sam casually waves a hand towards the devices. "I can market the larger more powerful models when I have the mobile unit." He shrugs a shoulder. "But the mobile unit's the hurdle." He shrugs a shoulder with a wide sheepish grin. "The fact is making the unit mobile is the /challenge/." "Curious. Are you just trying to corner the market on on holograms by patenting the desktop and mobile units?" Emma steps back from the display and simply studies Samuel. "Ah, don't mind me. I'm just on an entirely different page. Forgive my nagging questions." She tucks a few stray hairs behind her ear. Shaking his head, Samuel laughs. "I wouldn't say I'm beyond considering it." He runs a hand through his hair briefly, he still looks sheepish. "The truth is though, it's like I said. The smaller technology is where the challenge is." He sighs as he looks at Emma, his tone amused. "I'm a businessman because I need to be, but the work I do here I do here is a labour of love." He pauses a moment, his attention becoming more thoughtful as he meets Emma's eyes. "So, we've discussed my interest in the project. I'll admit I'm curious as to yours." There's a faint edge of amusement to the mess of information that passes for his thought. "You'll forgive me for being forward I hope, but what made you think my projects were worth the time?" "Oh? Well, I'm an electrical engineer, actually. I love this kind of stuff. I will confess to reading technical schematics in my free time - which I have less and less of since taking my job at Hellfire." Emma gives a little shrug, starting to move around the room investigating. "It's incredibly rewarding to get to see some new ideas starting to take a physical form. Honestly, I'd love to brain storm some of the issues with you, but I'm afraid I probably don't have enough background in your specific field. Perhaps if you recommended some resources to get started on, maybe next time we could talk about the nitty gritty in your designs? Then we could come up with some other ideas? If you even work that way." There's a small chime that issues from her tablet and she takes a moment to open the cover and read the message on her screen. "Oh, no. Something's come up. I need to meet with the architect at the club. I am really sorry about this." Giving a quick nod at the reply and the comment Samuel nods. "Of course." He motions towards the door. "Let me see you out. I'll arrange for some material that may interest you." He'll accompany Emma out of the building, locking up as he goes he pauses at the main door. He gives Emma an uncharacteristically warm smile. "Thank you for your time Ms Frost. I look forward to speaking with you again." With that he offers a bow of his head and begins on his way.