Human Kind and Technology » technology

Touch-emitted heat enables interactions

ET — Fri, 30 May 2014 21:31:58 +0000

Metaio is trying to make all physical objects touchable by recognizing (in future via HMDs) emitted heat of the human finger(s). So we can link every object with digital information or services. Unfortunately yet the idea needs a lot of work to be done.

Would be interesting to see if the concept operates as aspected with warm/hot objects when I, let’s say, want to play chess on a sun-exposed table in front of a coffee shop.

via TechCrunch, see also Metaio.com – Press Release

Keyboard with motion sensing

ET — Thu, 01 May 2014 21:24:52 +0000

Five microsoft researchers recently published a paper in which they presented a new technology combining a normal keyboard with motion sensing. I like this idea because I like the gestures I’m able to use fluently with the Macbook touchpad so that I don’t need a mouse anymore. So when the keyboard can recognise my gestures we don’t need touchpads any more which can have an effect on laptop designs and more, I guess.

via windowsdeveloper.de, see also microsoft.com

2x3D: View 2D or 3D on one screen

ET — Sun, 01 Dec 2013 12:57:59 +0000

This is fascinating. Researchers from the Shirai Lab at Kanagawa Institute of Technology developed Scritter, a technology which lets us view two-dimensional or three-dimensional visual content simultaneously (as much as to say: for more than one viewers) on one screen. We can switch between these views by wearing a polarisation filter or not. As the researchers say it can be applied to cinemas, education, and medicine.

I think there is a large spectrum of (more) utilization opportunities. For example, I think of a power plant control room where we could see the static structure of the building with all of its pipes and wires, and the dynamic information and energy flow rushing through this complex pipes / wires network, without having to switch between views, which in turn would have an affect to all viewers.

Here is how Scritter (“2x3D”) works:

Some SIGGRAPH ASIA 2012 slides:

via GIZMODO.de,
see also DigInfo.tv
and Scritter @ Shirai Lab @ Kanagawa Inst. of Technology

Smart highways

ET — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 19:28:09 +0000

Self lighting roads in the night, showing also the driving conditions, a lane to charge electric cars, and so on. Seems to be very interesting research which is starting now in a Dutch province.

via forschungs-blog.de

Free hand gestures everywhere

ET — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 17:44:05 +0000

Looks like a comfortabel armband which measures your hand gestures by muscle contraction and with which you can control nearly every other technology.

via Heise.de, see also GetMYO.com

Billboards & water out of air

ET — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 16:34:03 +0000

Peru, where there is almost no rain but nearly 100% atmospheric humidity the University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) and the agency Mayo Publicidad build a billboard which captures the water from air and stores it. So people can go and catch some (drinking!) water.

via GIZMODO.de, see also: UTEC.edu.pe

‘Roll-flying’ robot

ET — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:20:35 +0000

A quadrocopter which also can roll on different undergrounds. So it can be more efficient and robust. But the setup doesn’t allow to roll in x and y easily.

via Forschungs-Blog

Batteries everywhere, someday

ET — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 15:18:00 +0000

Even battery technology is getting to become thinner and more flexible which allows more usable products in our everyday life (e.g. in combination with flexible displays).

via GIZMODO.de, see also news.RICE.edu