The video below shows what may be the future of board games: the Microsoft Surface. You can manipulate boards, as well as place physical markers on top of the screen (and the screen will interact with them).
This is a proof of concept showing how the Microsoft Surface could be used to play Dungeons and Dragons, but it's easy to imagine it being used for a big game like Twilight Imperium.
Surfacescapes Demo Walkthrough from Surfacescapes on Vimeo.

Very interesting. Has definitely given me some idea. The board game industry has yet to evolve and this may be the way forward.