T-Horizon ( Touch-horizon)

Designer(s): Harsha Kutare, Somnath Chakravorti

Taking flexibility of digital technology to the next level:

• Sleek folder design with detachable processing unit for portability or safety and textbook feature for reading books or noting meeting minutes. Double-sided transparent flexible screens
• Three expandable/ foldable/ flexible screens with extra-wide central view for better readability and enhanced clarity and detailing and multi-application facilities
• Multi-touch screens with touch evoked resizable keyboards & stylus input modes
• Smart 3D projection module and inbuilt web-cam/ conferencing facility
• Eco-friendly shock proof flexible digital textile material with heat sinks. Wireless operations using Bluetooth enabled devices
• Ergonomically flexible usage – spread horizontally on table, use the compact version while standing or sitting etc.

Passion
T-Horizon aims to target the creative right brain of design enthusiasts, overloaded with mundane left brain stereotyped functions by presenting them a wider canvas, multiple applications, 3D modeling, multi-touch screens and optional touch evoked keyboards.

Simultaneous keyword search, shop items online, drawing, chatting with experts performed easily using multiple applications across multi-touch screens. Smart 3D eliminates the tiring task of creating mental models.

Waiting for a rendering to complete? Watch your favorite video on other screens. Habituated to reading paperback design journals? Flip open the T-Horizon and read like a book, flip pages and live the age-old experience.

Difficult to read plan views, navigation maps on a vertical screen? Remove the CPU from the T-Horizon and spread it flat on the desk.

Constrained for space, taking notes, trying to maintain privacy of your concept drawings? Lift upper flap of T-Horizon & use the portrait or landscape format.

Users’ Culture & Lifestyle
The audience for the T-Horizon is a successful designer in his late 20’s and early 30’s who has an innovator waiting to be unleashed. An extravagant outgoing person, he likes a lot of traveling, is looking to develop that breakthrough product which will make him/her famous.

Multitasking on various projects effects a designer psychologically and high mental pressure leaves him less time for innovative thinking. T-Horizon would aid him by providing multi-tasking facilities, reduce his overall workload and inspire innovative thinking by providing a wide canvas of multiple applications and on touch design functionalities.

Market Viability
The product will be popular amongst aspiring designers at the launch of their careers, looking to make big in the crowded design creativity space. Priced moderately, it would be affordable by individuals and would also appeal to companies promoting creativity and innovations.

With huge amount of investments into infrastructure design, innovative concepts modeling, digital gaming systems (the list continues) – in developed and developing nations, an ergonomically designed PC with multitude of features promoting operational efficiencies and immaculate clarity of presentation would sell like hotcakes.

It would also be viable for all target markets where multi-tasking (visibility across several information sources) is essential – stock markets, corporate meetings, travel agencies, secretarial jobs, scientific research, and last but not the least, the lazy entertainment freak.

Hence, though built for a niche segment, the t-Flex would appeal to a larger audience.

Size
The following are the broad dimentions of the t-Flex:

Folder open:370mm * 255mm
Folder closed:255mm * 185 mm
Detachable CPU: 265mm * 53mm * 30mm

Overview of Design
The T-Horizon would be the first of its kind designer’s notebook with multiple wide multi-touch screens and a 3D projection facility – a designer’s dream come true. With the capability to support multiple applications simultaneously and spread out facility, the designer can multi-task his work and simultaneously search, chat, compare, shop.

What more, the portable CPU doubles up as mobile phone & extendable Hard Drive. Bluetooth enabled interaction, in-built web conferencing facility, sleek folder finish, finger/voice recognition secure login system, eco-friendly material with innocuously placed heat sinks, sleek notebook design with retractable stand make the T-Horizon a unique, highly innovative product.

Dual display (both sides of the screen & portrait cum landscape), multi-touch sliding flexi screens, touch evoked keyboards combine current & future “flex & touch” technological innovations into a single notebook – The t-Flex!!

User & Context
The users of this concept as described earlier would be techno-savvy designers and artists with an edge for innovation. However the target group is also cautious and hence has a permanent salaried job which brings along with its normal pressures.

The simultaneous use of multiple applications would help him to multi-task and reduce normal workload and free up time for innovative thinking.

When he is designing new concepts, he now has the luxury of multiple wide screens, smart 3D viewing, web-conferencing and a host of other applications.

Scenarios of Use
During conceptualization
• Wide drawing central screen with multi-touch features, stylus inputs & touch evoked keyboards provide best platform to develop concepts quickly
• Side screens to search for standards, materials online, chat with co-developer, read articles etc.
• Smart 3D representation for easy visualization of final product

During Presentation
• In-built web-cam for web based conferencing for brainstorming, concept valuation
• Multiple screens for presentation, concept drawing and third for design calculations and 3D viewing as required

While traveling
• Looking through maps, places to visit and scanning travelogues simultaneously
• Handy detachable CPU can be used as mobile communication device
• Reading e-books in paperback fashion

During meetings
• Use a notebook using stylus
• Simultaneous viewing of company reports, competition data and future strategy presentation & taking notes

User Interface
T-Horizon aims at complete flexibility in working with multiple input methods and output mediums:

1. Open flap and use as a notepad using stylus. Handwriting recognition, direct conversion to text.
2. Drag and drop functionality
3. Multi-touch interaction for easy zoom, flip, rotate and other functions
4. Touch evoked keyboards on each screen to input data
5. Extra-wide centre multi-touch screen to facilitate work on large drawing concepts
6. Smart 3D projections at the touch of a button
7. Detachable CPU can be used as mobile phone and USB drive
8. Stretch flat on desk after detaching CPU
9. Simple to fold and carry/store as a folder
10. Both portrait and landscape schemes available

Aesthetics
The smooth fabric finish and the flexi screens touch the eye instantaneously. The smooth edges, the transparent glistening multi-touch screens with the aesthetically placed web-cam all add to the beauty. The detachable CPU which doubles up as mobile device.

The small and handy design with the native look of a notebook makes it different from the notepad. The Smart 3D application & biometric security system add to the aesthetics.

Technical Aspects
The following would be path breaking technological advances in the t-Flex:

1. Innovative multi-touch screens for easier drawing on the same screenfrom the remotly placed people
2. Sliding screens - operational with whatever areas of the screen is slid out
3. Drag and drop functionalities between screens
4. Super-conducting material of the CPU and fabric/ material for the flaps and screens
5. Mobile interfacing of the CPU detachable unit
6. Highly advanced wireless and Bluetooth functionalities
7. Touch invoked keyboards and stylus inputs
8. Reduction in size of the processing unit to the minimal
9. Smart 3D projections
10. Multiple operation modes – portrait and landscape

Ecology
The T-Horizon has been built keeping a close focus on ecology in the following aspects:

The folder flap material digital fabric material which is eco-friendly & the fabric ensures heat dissipation and no wastage of energy. The screens are made of flexible biodegradable material to enhance reusability and recyclability. There are strategically located heat sinks for heat dissipation. An almost wireless operation reduces use of cables etc. The electronic components are encased carefully to ensure repair and reuse. There is absolutely minimal use of plastic and other non-biodegradable items.

Manufacturability
The T-Horizon is suitable for a process setup manufacturing. The flaps and screens can be manufactured using extrusion casting and cut to requirement. The assembly is simple and includes discrete units which can be manufactured on separate lines. The mechanisms have been kept simple – slide out mechanism for screens, flip open flaps, electromagnetic detachable CPU, pull out telescopic monitor stand. A biometric recognition system removes mechanical locking requirement.

Multiple wide area screens and fabric material ensure easy heat dissipation. The material of the CPU unit would be close to superconductor with sound absorbent coatings and would have heat sinks. The absence of a fan assembly would reduce noise levels to minimal levels.