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[Matlock]

Philips Entertaible combines the excitement of
electronic gaming with the fun and interaction of
traditional board games

Las Vegas, USA (January 4, 2006) - Philips announced
today that it will unveil its prototype of
‘Entertaible’ – a tabletop gaming platform that
marries traditional multi-player board and computer
games in a uniquely simple and intuitive way, at the
Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on January 5th, 2006.

Entertaible allows the players to engage in a new
class of electronic game which combines the features
of computer gaming, such as dynamic playing fields and
gaming levels, with the social interaction and
tangible playing pieces, such as pawns and dies, of
traditional board games.

Entertaible owes its name to the social entertainment
experience it encourages and the tabletop form factor
it is built on. Currently a working concept,
Entertaible comprises a 30-inch horizontal LCD,
sophisticated touch screen-based multi-object position
detection, and all supporting control electronics.

Its capabilities could breathe new interactive life
into conventional multi-player board and electronic
games. This may include, for example, using a portion
of the touch screen to allow private tactical
information to be shown to specific players only.
Other enhancements to the gaming experience could
include ‘play-based’ rule explanation and feedback
tips; the ability to electronically store large
numbers of games, which could include rekindling those
of the past without requiring large amounts of
physical storage space for conventional boxes; instant
retrieval of part-played games; on-line access to new
or trial games; and a fast, simple set-up.

To demonstrate Entertaible’s potential, Philips will
bring a fully functioning sample to CES (booth # 9024)
ready for visitors to play. Philips aims to encourage
partnerships and collaboration with games vendors that
plan to add new capabilities to their games.
Entertaible provides the ideal electronic platform for
these companies.

While the concept of a multi-user digital table is not
new, previous solutions have utilized complex
arrangements of overhead cameras and dimmed lighting
that detract from the user experience. The Philips
Entertaible, however, is based on a series of infrared
LEDs and photodiodes discretely mounted around the
perimeter of an LCD screen. It requires no special
lighting conditions or other equipment and is entirely
‘hand’ operated by touch alone. Entertaible can
simultaneously detect dozens of objects, including
fingers.

“Entertaible offers the means to reinvigorate
established board game classics,” comments Gerard
Hollemans of Philips Research in Eindhoven, the
Netherlands, who leads the research team that
developed Entertaible. “However, in the longer term,
Entertaible could be used to invent brand new games
offering unprecedented levels of user interaction –
games that would never become predictable or ever
quite ‘feel’ the same twice, however often you played
them.”

After CES, Entertaible will be subjected to additional
field tests at the Philips HomeLab research center in
Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Here, volunteers are
encouraged to play and live with new technology so
researchers can gain greater insights into the
viability of a new technology before it is launched
into the market.

The Entertaible concept could also be extended into
other domains. For business or educational users, this
might take the form of an interactive desk where
several colleagues or students gather round a single
workstation to work on a project or cooperatively
create new ideas and learn together.

“Perhaps most important of all, Entertaible will host
electronics games that promote invaluable social
interaction within groups and families,” expresses
Hollemans. “This contrasts completely to the solitary,
isolated environment encouraged by some contemporary
console-based electronic games.”

 

[fugimax]

It's in the CES thread...but ok..

 

[Matlock]

It's in the CES thread...but ok..

Wasn't aware, sorry.

Pretty nifty tech, tho.

 

[fugimax]

It is. It's a very HCI-thing, so that makes me happy.

I'd be grateful to anyone who could somehow post a link that would allow me to actually download the video. I'm using a Mac, so no stream-recording for me.

 

[TTP]

Video? Where?

 

[IJoel]

I'm surprised something like this hasn't been released previously as a platform for board games. Think about it. You buy the board with a few games included, then buy separate sets for games with a memory stick that includes the game (checkers with the pieces, monopoly with the money and pieces, etc.) This isn't really any groundbreaking technology.

 

[Matlock]

Video? Where?

Exactly what I was wondering.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Here http://www.research.philips.com/newscenter/archive/2006/060104-entertaible.html though I can't get it to run smoothly.

Sounds great, even if that press release entirely lacks imagination.

 

[Matlock]

Here http://www.research.philips.com/newscenter/archive/2006/060104-entertaible.html though I can't get it to run smoothly.

Sounds great, even if that press release entirely lacks imagination.

I'll have it mirrored ASAP.

 

[kaching]

Might as well be its own thread since its being ignored in the CES thread.

This isn't really any groundbreaking technology.

Maybe not, but it sounds like it took some work to get it to the point where its convenience and formfactor wouldn't be a barrier to marketability.

And its a 30 inch LCD - that can't exactly be cheap.

 

[R0nn]

Netherlands represent!

 

[Xrenity]

Ahahaha, the guy in the vid is obviously a dutchman. You can just hear it :+

It also looks like you've got to try pushing your finger through the table

 

[TTP]

Here http://www.research.philips.com/newscenter/archive/2006/060104-entertaible.html though I can't get it to run smoothly.

Sounds great, even if that press release entirely lacks imagination.

Thanks for the vid. Runs smooth to me. Problem is the Entertaible software (OS?) doesn't seem to. Looks like it takes ages to detect the "touch" on the screen. Too slow. Board games players can play *very* fast and that thing doesn't seem able to keep up. Needs more Cell.

As the video points out, this is also an LCD touch screen panel technology that allows for multitouch. Great.

VERY PROMISING STUFF. I'd buy one for my kids (and one for me) if they were available at the store down the road right now.

 

[joshschw]

mirror: http://www.sendspace.com/file/itjdcq

 

[Mr. Lemming]

The board gamer in me is excited about this.

 

[Matlock]

mirror: http://files.filefront.com/Entertaiblewmv/;4563875;;/fileinfo.html

 

[Mama Smurf]

It does seem quite slow right now, but generally it's a great idea. Just the very simple things like not having so many pieces you can lose and being able to "turn" the table to each player will make all the difference. No more looking things up in rule books either, it can just tell you what you can and can't do when you try it.

Although it probably wouldn't allow for your own rule chances when you think something is stupid. And drinking games probably wouldn't be safe.

 

[Henk_Glimlach]

I love board games, and this gives a huge new dimension. I can think of a lot of new boardgames and possibilities. Maybe it's still slow. But that could still work for tons of games.

 

[monchi-kun]

This is a step in the right direction for entertainment in general...especially game design. Technology goes hand in had with game design and evolving the technologies that games depend on will only expand the possibilities of what games CAN be.

10 years from now I hope these touch displays will offer some kind of tactile feedback, maybe the surface can change from rough to smooth (possibily controlled by a fluctuation of electrical input), heck maybe it can heat up or cool down.

This is groundbreaking shit!

 

[golem]

it would be awesome if they allowed user made programs to be run.. or open sourced it

 

[:Motorbass]

Maybe you could even download games or play against others over the net (I didn't read through all this; sorry if already announced :x)

Edit: and with these Screens that show different pictures from diferent angles, you could even play cardgames without holding them and only you can see them from you point of view.

 

[monchi-kun]

it would be awesome if they allowed user made programs to be run.. or open sourced it

i wouldn't be surprised if that was the goal. Philips is a hardware company so its in their best interest to keep this technology open so that content providers can make stuff for it

 

[golem]

just let me throw up some D20 maps on there