710455Sensei-POCClosedGRD Proof of ConceptInnovate UKThere are nascent problems that face the future of “located” HCI (peripherals devices that enable people to interact with non-mobile computing devices, like desktops and laptops). We will always want to benefit from the larger screens and greater computing power that located computers enable. But located HCI has seen far less innovation than mobile HCI, and the innovation we have seen has serious limitations. Sensei is a new concept in physical interface design, a new kind of physical input device for personal computers which integrates tactile and spatial data to create a new set of user interaction possibilities. The product will be a fusion of the interaction concept behind our music hardware Seaboard product and the motion-control paradigm of Leap Motion- or Kinectstyle controllers. ROLI is a technology start-up whose initial focus has been music hardware. We are undertaking the Sensei project because it directly aligns with our primary mission, which is to empower people through intuitive technology. What this means in more practical terms is that we invent, design and build products and technologies – both hardware and software – whose stated aim is to increase the bandwidth of interaction between human ingenuity and the digital frontier. Our proprietary SEA Interface technology is a disruptive platform hardware innovation that enables high resolution pressure sensors to be embedded in any form factor and enables groundbreaking interactive device applications in a wide range of industries. Sensei is a novel application of the SEA Interface that is intended as an improvement over existing desktop peripherals. Development of Sensei not only plays to ROLI’s strengths, utilising our design and engineering expertise, it also helps us fulfil our primary company mission. The purpose of this project is to create a proof-of-concept prototype demonstrating the core functionality of the Sensei concept over the course of 9 months.