We present the design of a cost-effective wearable sensor to detect and indicate the strength and other characteristics of the electric field emanating from a laptop display. Our bracelet can provide an immediate awareness of electric fields radiated from an object used frequently. Our technology thus supports awareness of ambient background emanation beyond human perception. We discuss how detection of such radiation might help to “fingerprint” devices and aid in applications that require determination of indoor location.
Great interactive installation, by Matthew Plummer-Fernandez at The Selfridges store in London. The project, entitled Apifera, looked at the role of the shop window as a part of architecture that functions to attract people noting similarities to the function of flowers within plants. The Apifera is a responsive window that takes inspiration from the science of attraction developed in flowers, hence the complex fractal geometry and its ability to respond and change its breathing rate according to the daylight and passers-by. The program runs on an Arduino and the movement is created with an array of computer fans.
The window will remain on Duke St until the end of October 2008. Window concept, electronics and programming by Matthew Plummer-Fernandez, production by MP-F, Rebecca Lucraft (who did the papercraft), and Nicholas P-F.
The Novint Falcon lets you control a game in three dimensions, and also lets you feel high-fidelity three-dimensional force feedback. The Falcon controller moves right and left, forwards and backwards, like a mouse, but also moves up and down. When you hold the Falcon’s detachable Grip and move your cursor to interact with a virtual object, environment, or character, motors in the device turn on and are updated approximately 1000 times a second, letting you feel texture, shape, weight, dimension, and dynamics. The Falcon lets you control and interact with games in more realistic way, allowing you to develop real physical skill and muscle memory, adding a new dimension to gaming.
There’s no more natural control interface than yourself. This robot, developed by engineer Tsuyoshi Horo at Tokyo University, watches you with an array of eight cameras and creates a 3D model of your body. If you point your finger, the cameras will recognize the shape, and send commands to the robot to respond to your gesture. It’s way cool, but it’s not exactly portable, since the cameras are stationary. It’s able to do all kinds of things besides robot control; here’s a video of someone playing Half-Life 2 with body motions:
Oliver Irschitz has created the iTube. In the iTube, participants use natural interfaces to explore the virtual 3D spaces projected onto its large screen with a small set of pointing and command gestures. A robust computer-vision-based, full-body immersive interface empowers surfing inside the cityscape. A separate computer-vision-based hand-tracking and gesture-recognition system drives navigation inside the BrainSpace. These interfaces work in real time and require only standard computers and small cameras. They do not require special calibration procedures, do not limit body movements with cables or tethers, nor do they require wearing special suits with markers for tracking.
Joa Ebert and Thibault Imbert have created the framework to control flash animations using the Wiimote. You can download this software from their website. It is becoming possible to control flash movies through gesture.
Researchers at Prime Sense have created the ability to navigate using hand gestures in midair. Prime Sense’s concept is a device, which allows a computer to perceive the world in 3D and derive an understanding of the world based on sight, just the way humans do.
The device includes a sensor, which sees a user (including their complete surroundings), and a digital component, or “brain” which learns and understands user movement within those surroundings.
Prime Sense’s interactive device can see, track and react to user movements outside the computer, all without change of environment or wearable equipment for the end user. The closed device is plug and play and platform independent.
Reconfigurable House is built by Usman Haque and Adam Somlai-Fischer and is currently located n Tokyo, Japan until March 2008 as part of NTT ICC 10th anniversary celebrations.
The Reconfigurable House is an environment constructed from thousands of low tech components that can be “rewired” by visitors. The project is a critique of ubiquitous computing “smart homes”, which are based on the idea that technology should be invisible to prevent DIY.
Smart homes actually aren’t very smart simply because they are pre-wired according to algorithms and decisions made by designers of the systems, rather than the people who occupy the houses.
In contrast to such homes, which are not able to adapt structurally over time, the many sensors and actuators of Reconfigurable House can be reconnected endlessly as people change their minds so that the House can take on completely new behaviors.
Implant Matrix is an interactive geotextile that could be used for reinforcing landscapes and buildings of the future. A network of mechanisms reacts to human occupants as erotic prey. The structure responds to human presence with subtle grasping and sucking motions, ingesting organic materials and incorporating them into a new hybrid entity.
Implant Matrix is composed of interlinking filtering ‘pore’ within a lightweight structural system. Primitive interactive systems employ capacitance sensors, shape-memory alloy wire actuators and distributed microprocessors. The matrix is fabricated by laser cutting direct from digital models. Implant Matrix was installed at the InterAccess Media Arts Centre in Toronto.
Spatial Robots, created by Miles Kemp in 2007, is a website dedicated to cataloging, discussing and promoting interactive spatial systems, user interfaces and emerging technology in architecture.
We present the design of a cost-effective wearable sensor to detect and indicate the strength and other characteristics of the electric field emanating from a laptop display. Our bracelet can provide an immediate awareness of electric fields radiated from an object used frequently. Our technology thus supports awareness of ambient background emanation beyond human perception. We discuss how detection of such radiation might help to “fingerprint” devices and aid in applications that require determination of indoor location.
