DIY design process for interactive surfaces

This paper charts the design and build of two interactive tabletops that use infrared (IR) illumination techniques. One table implements fiducial tracking, whilst the other implements multitouch tracking. Trade-offs in both designs are discussed to highlight key considerations when building an interactive table. Using three key dimensions from lessons learned, we conduct a comparative analysis of both approaches. Finally, we propose a DIY Design Process to assist designers in building their own interactive table.