HackingTheUniverse

Haptic technology is a way of providing tactile sensory input or feedback to enhance an experience. It is often integrated with virtual environments or augmented reality technologies. A simple form is the way game controllers vibrate to create a sensation connected with an event in the game. Haptics are being integrated into many areas besides [...]

Over the years, our computing interfaces have become more and more interactive. From simple command lines, to graphical interfaces, to “active” graphical interfaces; they have continually become more interactive, more dynamic, more alive. Our living spaces will soon be following the same trend, becoming both more interactive and reconfigurable. World Builder – [youtube.com] This amazing [...]

When pico projectors are integrated with Kinect-like interfaces, we’ll have a fully embedded “Minority Report” interface, where every surface is a monitor and we interact with our surrounding environment with our entire body, instead of just our fingers. When the playroom is the computer – [physorg.com] The prototype of the Playtime Computing system consists mainly [...]

Augmented-Reality Floor Tiling – [technologyreview.com] Researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Canada have developed floor tiles that can simulate the look, sound and feel of snow, grass or pebbles underfoot. Such a tool could perhaps be used for augmented reality applications, tele-presence, training, rehabilitation or even as virtual foot controllers. The modular “haptic” floor tiling [...]

The luminous room concept involves using the entire environment surrounding the user as an interface for interaction, both input and display. John Underkoffler points to the future of UI – [youtube.com] Minority Report science adviser and inventor John Underkoffler demos g-speak — the real-life version of the film’s eye-popping, tai chi-meets-cyberspace computer interface. Is this [...]

Augmented reality displays can be delivered in as many different ways as data can be displayed. Displays that are projected onto a surface, or “heads-up” style displays on see through screens or glasses or contact lenses, and even display information that is projected onto the retina of the eyeball are all possible. Future of the [...]

Telepresence started out pretty much as video conferencing, but has already expanded far beyond that and is now beginning to use robots as surrogates for telepresence operations. The combination of robotic movement and sensors with ever advancing telecom ability holds great promise for tele-commuting jobs and remote operations and interactions in many forms. As robotic [...]

Pico projectors are small devices that can project images on nearby surface, replacing the conventional idea of a monitor. They are likely to start being built into many small mobil electronic objects and will make information more available regardless of the environment. Analyst predicts rapid growth for pico projectors – [eetimes.com] The capability of picoprojectors [...]

Using technology and computational power to extend and enhance our cognitive resources and abilities is called “augmented cognition”. This can involve filtering information flow, modulating information volume to stay under overwhelm limits, enhancing data with analysis and visualization, enhancing bandwidth by using multiple channels and information formats, sequencing information properly to allow increased assimilation rates, [...]

The F-35 helmet display system offers fighter pilots an augmented reality 360 degree panoramic viewpoint for controlling their aircraft. How the F-35 Demon Helmet Looks Inside – [gizmodo.com] The helmet projects an augmented reality world inside its visor. This image is created by a visualization, targeting, and situational awareness marvel called Electro Optical Distributed Aperture [...]