4 ms·

Ask HN: What powers CNN's touchscreen graphics?

9 points by jrwoodruff 14y ago

I'm really curious to know what CNN uses to power the interactive graphics on their big touch screen displays, particularly the maps where they can zoom in on states to see counties, etc.

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
co_pl_te 14y ago
I haven't been able to dig up specifics, so hopefully someone with more knowledge can add to this, but the CNN "Magic Wall" is an 82" LCD Multi-Touch Display made by Perceptive Pixel — originally a privately owned company founded by Jeff Han that was acquired by Microsoft in July this year. As far as I can tell, it's powered by an NVIDIA Quadro 6000 workstation. Not sure about the software, but it's likely custom-tweaked. Perceptive Pixel's tech was originally developed for military applications (and the military does use their displays), but you can see why newsrooms would swoon over tech like this — especially for election coverage. Here are a few links to related articles that might provide you with more information: Wikipedia article on Multi-Touch Collaboration Wall: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-Touch_Collaboration_Wall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-Touch_Collaboration_Wall Perceptive Pixel's page on their 82" display: http://perceptivepixel.brandgreenhouse.com/products/82-lcd-multi-touch-display http://perceptivepixel.brandgreenhouse.com/products/82-lcd-m... NVIDIA's Quadro 6000 page: http://www.nvidia.com/object/product-quadro-6000-us.html http://www.nvidia.com/object/product-quadro-6000-us.html 2008 WaPo article on CNN's Magic Wall: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/04/AR2008020402796.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02... Jeff Han TED Talk from 2006: http://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_han_demos_his_breakthrough_touchscreen.html http://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_han_demos_his_breakthrough_tou...
runjake 14y ago
I didn't see rhyme or reason to John King's gestures and assumed the screen was actually manipulated by someone off screen, but co_pl_te has me doubting my theory.

9 points by jrwoodruff 14y ago

I'm really curious to know what CNN uses to power the interactive graphics on their big touch screen displays, particularly the maps where they can zoom in on states to see counties, etc.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

co_pl_te 14y ago

I haven't been able to dig up specifics, so hopefully someone with more knowledge can add to this, but the CNN "Magic Wall" is an 82" LCD Multi-Touch Display made by Perceptive Pixel — originally a privately owned company founded by Jeff Han that was acquired by Microsoft in July this year. As far as I can tell, it's powered by an NVIDIA Quadro 6000 workstation. Not sure about the software, but it's likely custom-tweaked. Perceptive Pixel's tech was originally developed for military applications (and the military does use their displays), but you can see why newsrooms would swoon over tech like this — especially for election coverage. Here are a few links to related articles that might provide you with more information: Wikipedia article on Multi-Touch Collaboration Wall: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-Touch_Collaboration_Wall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-Touch_Collaboration_Wall Perceptive Pixel's page on their 82" display: http://perceptivepixel.brandgreenhouse.com/products/82-lcd-multi-touch-display http://perceptivepixel.brandgreenhouse.com/products/82-lcd-m... NVIDIA's Quadro 6000 page: http://www.nvidia.com/object/product-quadro-6000-us.html http://www.nvidia.com/object/product-quadro-6000-us.html 2008 WaPo article on CNN's Magic Wall: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/04/AR2008020402796.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02... Jeff Han TED Talk from 2006: http://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_han_demos_his_breakthrough_touchscreen.html http://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_han_demos_his_breakthrough_tou...

runjake 14y ago

I didn't see rhyme or reason to John King's gestures and assumed the screen was actually manipulated by someone off screen, but co_pl_te has me doubting my theory.