It seems this project could be 'timely' in more ways than one. A recent post on the TED blog suggests that the future of user interface is in "zooming".
Intuitive is an often overused term when talking about user interface but I think it really applies here. Timeline therapy, where a patient is asked to imagine themselves floating over their personal timeline, is being used successfully in psychiatry to help patients overcome depression, anger and trauma. Humans have a natural acuity for spatial navigation.
Quoting from an interview with Blaise Aguera y Arcas in Newsweek they report that "prototype zoom interfaces are now up and running in labs around the world". As one of the aims of this project is to create an infinitely zoomable timeline then all I need now is a lab. And maybe one of those white coats. And a machine that goes ping. I really want a machine that goes ping.
