DIY multitouch surface for under US$40

Darius Chang | May 29, 2009

(Image credit: Wired)

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. Well, there is another factor for innovation, and that is a tight budget.

Berkeley student Yotam Mann leapfroged all those expensive multitouch components and created his own multitouch surface for a mere US$40, using a Webcam and a couple of lasers. By facing the lasers at a 45-degree angle and mounting the Webcam where it can detect the entire surface, Yotam's proprietary software allows the computer to detect the location of the fingers and react accordingly. In this case, the music student's application creates different sounds based on the finger action.

Yotam Mann intends to showcase his creation at the upcoming Maker Faire (a DIY festival that will be held on May 30 to 31 at San Mateo, California). For those interested in recreating this project, the Berkeley student will be offering free access to his code. Meanwhile, check out a video of his creation below.