(Please bear with the length of this.)
To save time in explaination I will
encorporate this model into the
table. Hey, if a lazy susan can be
embedded into a table so can the
dancing susan. Future designs will
change dramatically and even current
technology will allow for this device
to be independent of the table but
not with the grace that I need.
The top of the table is covered with
the pressure sensor sheet found in
PDA's and by each place setting is a
small digital screen.
If you don't know how those work, I
shall explain. Two sheets of
conductive material matrix have a
sandwich of liquid and small ball
berrings in the middle. When you
apply force from the top, the liquid
an the ball berrings escape that area
and the two layers touch each other
creating a small circuit in that area.
That circuit is assigned a number and
the computer is programmed to
relate that to a place or command.
In the table are robotic arms with
multiple rotating magnets at the tips.
Serving dishes with casters and RFIDs
on them tell the table how many
dishes are on the table and where
they are in relation to the other
objects on the table. Each serving
dish with an RFID also has a
corresponding color on some part of
it's outer plastic shell. So when they
are placed onto the table, the table
will recognize them and put the
name of the color next to a little icon
on the screen at the place settings.
When you push a button
corresponding to the dish on the
table, the robotic magnetic arm
underneath moves it along to your
setting. Three RF recievers help the
table triangulate the first positions of
the moving dishes. The rotating
magnets can spin the dishes around
each other to chang position and
save space.
Dishes in use will be marked by two
other means. By making the casters
uneaven they will woble when
touched thus making an uneaven
pattern in the table sensoring or also
an RFID serving utensil will
triangulated over one of the dishes
and it will have a few mercury switchs
in it.
As you can see this idea has much
room to improve. Future models of
dishes could talk to each other and
triangulate where they are
themselves and better visual sensors
could help to make the dances more
complex. Dishes could take
themselves off the table for a robot
to carry them to the dishwasher.
Future tables could also set
themselves in various setting styles.