Short answers, pulled from the story.
Stefan Hechenberger and Addie Wagenknecht created CUBIT to demystify multi-touch technology through open-source collaboration. They designed the system for Nortd Labs with a clear goal in mind.
As of the 2nd of May 2008, Nortd Labs began accepting orders for the TouchKit developer kits. The demand for the system outpaced the ability of the small team to fulfill requests quickly.
Buyers faced an expense ranging between 1,080 and 1,580 USD for these external components. Nortd Labs did not include the projection or capture hardware inside the box.
CUBIT functioned as a direct competitor to the proprietary Microsoft Surface interface system while offering an open path instead of closed-source solutions. Their project offered an alternative for developers who wanted full control over their multi-touch applications.
The designers believed that transparency would accelerate innovation across the industry. They released specifications so others could modify and improve the system without permission barriers.