Data Visualizations and Interface

We mentioned Dr. Hans Rosling's TED presentation earlier (he's the developer of gapminder.org).

Here's another presentation from TED -- this one taking us to a new level of thinking about computers, how people interface with computers, and what the possibilities are. Stick with the video, because about five minutes into the demonstration Dr. Jeff Han picks up where Dr. Rosling left off, and then he takes us into a new way to think about interacting with mapping technology.

I got the following out of the presentation:

1. New technology is really cool, and we have no idea what's coming next.

2. We need to think differently about how people can intuitively access, display, and manipulative information. Mouse-and-keyboard controls are much too complicated and limiting.

3. We live in a 3-D world -- why should we restrict data displays to two dimensions?

Check out the video, and see if you think the possibilities are as exciting as I do.