The success of the iPhone has given rise to a new grammar of touch control while the advent of multi-touch in Windows 7 will further accelerate the evolution of human computer interfaces.
The minute-long sequence in the film Minority Report in which Tom Cruise manipulated images on a screen using simple gestures has quickly become a cliche of future human computer interfaces.
The reality of standing at a giant screen and wearing special gloves may eventually render the Minority Report vision impractical, but it does reflect one certainty: the days of the mouse keyboard and desktop graphical interface are numbered.
Ben Rigby, from web firm Mobile Voter, told the conference that the "paper-like layered interface" of systems like Windows, Linux and Mac OS, did not work in today's social computing world.
"It's essentially paper. we are socialising on a flat paper-like interface. This is a 30-year-old interface.
"Hollywood is leading the way and showing what the future is going to look like."
Joe Engalan, director of development for Vectorform, which produces applications for Microsoft's Surface device, said: "Minority Report will happen eventually but with five people touching something virtual somewhere.
"It's getting there. It's getting started."