TIME89
08-02-2009, 09:51 PM
Next-gen Audi MMI could feature handwriting recognition
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/bto/20090731/audi-a8-mmi-dash.jpg
Audi's next-generation MultiMedia Interface (MMI) could feature handwriting recognition. You read that right, handwriting recognition. Not advanced voice command. Not some science-fiction extrasensory perception interface, but plain old 20th century handwriting recognition. I thought these cabin tech interfaces were supposed to be getting less complex.
According to German car (http://reviews.cnet.com/car-tech/) blog Autobild (http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autobild.de%2Fartikel %2Fneuheiten-beim-audi-a8_947328.html&sl=de&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8), the new MMI should debut at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt on the new Audi A8. The handwriting-recognition portion, poorly Google translated as "Finger Ready," will feature a character input square where drivers will finger-paint letters on the screen a la first-generation Palm OS Graffiti (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graffiti_%28Palm_OS%29), which to be honest is still probably much faster than the current MMI's rotary-dial-based input method.
We've already had a look at the first wave of MMI upgrades (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10189076-48.html), which feature a relocated MMI controller and a much-improved interface. Audi has not officially announced the handwriting system as part of its MMI roadmap, but September and the Frankfurt auto show are just around the corner.
Source (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10301111-48.html?tag=mncol;posts)
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/bto/20090731/audi-a8-mmi-dash.jpg
Audi's next-generation MultiMedia Interface (MMI) could feature handwriting recognition. You read that right, handwriting recognition. Not advanced voice command. Not some science-fiction extrasensory perception interface, but plain old 20th century handwriting recognition. I thought these cabin tech interfaces were supposed to be getting less complex.
According to German car (http://reviews.cnet.com/car-tech/) blog Autobild (http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autobild.de%2Fartikel %2Fneuheiten-beim-audi-a8_947328.html&sl=de&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8), the new MMI should debut at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt on the new Audi A8. The handwriting-recognition portion, poorly Google translated as "Finger Ready," will feature a character input square where drivers will finger-paint letters on the screen a la first-generation Palm OS Graffiti (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graffiti_%28Palm_OS%29), which to be honest is still probably much faster than the current MMI's rotary-dial-based input method.
We've already had a look at the first wave of MMI upgrades (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10189076-48.html), which feature a relocated MMI controller and a much-improved interface. Audi has not officially announced the handwriting system as part of its MMI roadmap, but September and the Frankfurt auto show are just around the corner.
Source (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10301111-48.html?tag=mncol;posts)