They have been developed by Pol Pla i Conesa of MIT’s Fluid Interfaces Group. Each cube is assembled from a set of six 128×128 OLED displays powered by their own microcontroller, capable of showing video, images or other visualizations.

Conesa thinks that the cubes could be used in tasks where different sets of information about a large collection of objects need to be rapidly accessed. On a larger scale, the cubes could be assembled into larger ad hoc displays, each of them functioning as a pixel.

Here’s some video footage from the guys over at Engadget showing off the prototype and some potential applications:

[via Engadget via designboom]

The SmartWatch is compatible with most Sony Xperia phones, as well as some Motorola, HTC and Samsung handsets. The full list of compatible phones is here. The watch connects via Bluetooth to your phone, allows you to accept and reject calls, mute the microphone, access social networking services, watch movies and play music stored on your phone.

The watch face is an 1.3-inch multitouch OLED screen with 128×128 resolution, capable of displaying 65,000 colors.The watch is a little bulkier than most, but not enough to really be a problem, and certainly no bigger than an iPod nano watch. You can also take the face off the strap and clip it almost anywhere.

The SmartWatch ships with a black wristband, but you can swap out colors to pink, mint, grey, white or blue as well. MSRP for the Sony SmartWatch is $149.99(USD), and you should be able to find one over on Amazon now.

[via TrendsNow]

The screen has widgets for different things functionality and large icons for music, video, FM, pictures, and eBooks. The native resolution of the screen is 800 x 480 and the P8 will support HD resolution video playback when connected via HDMI to your TV. The device also supports just about all the file formats you could need.

The P8 will play AVI, WMV, MKV, and XviD video formats. It supports MP3, WAV, WAM, OGG, FLAC, and APE audio formats as well. It will also store eBooks and voice memos too. The P8 will come in 8GB and 16GB versions and both of them will have expandable storage up to 32GB with microSDHC cards. For some reason, the P8 is only available in Russia at this point, but perhaps it’ll show up around the world with time. Pricing is unknown at this time.

[via designboom]

They used the data points to replicate a rudimentary version of the gesture interfaces seen in Minority Report – sans gloves, of course.The guys used something called the Point Cloud Library from Willow Garage’s open source robotic control package ROS.

Here’s a video of the hack in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

One can only hope that some games start to surface that take advantage of individual finger movements. I could see this coming in handy for puzzle games, and maybe something like the part of Bioshock where you hack into the security system – this would be a much cooler way to test your dexterity. Also, for virtual porn.

If you’re interested in giving this a shot for yourself, you’ll need to grab the ROS Kinect code here, and MIT’s code here. I’m not sure exactly what else you need to do to make it all work though, so install at your own risk.

This technology was recently showcased by Japan’s Keio University. It will respond to touch input, as well as the curvature and even if air is blown on it. The goal of this particular example was to use this tech to create interactive tickets for events.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

If they can just figure out a way to combine this with some sort of flexible, low-cost display material, smart paper would definitely going to be something cool to have around for things like interactive maps and newspapers.

[DigInfo via DVice]

This hack comes courtesy of the MIT Media Lab Fluid Interfaces Group, and it allows them to use their Kinect as a gestural interface for browsing the web.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

But the MIT guys aren’t the only gesture game in town. Evoluce‘s solution will support simultaneous multitouch and multiuser control of applications, which sounds pretty good to me. The video below showcases what Evoluce can do.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Frankly, I wasn’t that interested in the Kinect on the Xbox 360, but it if can be used in this fashion, I’ll buy one. It could potentially evolve into a multitouch remote control plugin for HTPCs and desktop computers.

[via Engadget]

This is basically a custom LCARS UI skin for Windows XP, which is the OS that is used to run his intelligent home. He uses it for his calendar, train schedules, a shopping list, browsing the internet and consuming media.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

If you want something similar, prepare to be disappointed! Pascal says his skin is programmed specifically for the hardware that he is using in his house, so it’s really unsuitable for general use.

[via CrunchGear]

Here’s the interface in action. It’s still in development, hence the delay in response, but it does work:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

What I can’t understand is why Hitachi is planning on incorporating this on desktop PCs and even TVs by the middle of next year. No doubt, gesture-based technology is useful in some instances, but does it really have a place in everyday usage? Will our lives be more awesome if we could wave our hands in front of our PCs just to view pictures and zoom in on maps? Have I just become too old to appreciate new technology? What the hell is going on?!

[via Akihabara News]

If you watch the video, you will see that when you put the dropper section near a file on your computer screen and squeeze, the file is transferred to the device or at least across the network. When you go to another computer, you can squeeze the dropper and the file is placed onto the other machine.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The dude in the video then turns and squeezes the bulb and sends the file he has been moving to a set of speakers. Guess what plays- Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up. Any geek worth his salt knows that is the infamous Rickroll tune. I call BS. What do you think?

[via Make:]

Friendly Vending was Baggermans’ industrial design graduation project from the Eindhoven Univerisity of Technology. The machine features an electronically-controlled vending system that allows users to interact with their soda of choice by pointing at the drink they’re interested in consuming. Not only does the machine do a little dance with the cans to draw you in, but just whip out your Sylar-esque finger, point it at the can you want, and the machine opens up that door so you can grab your can. Check out some Friendly Vending in the video clip below:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Now we’re not sure how Guus plans on collecting money with this new system. Maybe it’s so friendly that the soda would be free. Or maybe with an RFID remote payment system as you approach the machine. We’re just hypothesizing on that part, but it sounds cool to us. Either way, it’s fun to watch dancing soda cans.

[via Gajitz]

The “Manual Deskterity” project was built as a custom app running on the Microsoft Surface platform, and offer seamless integration of touch and pen-based inputs that look perfect for drafting and design applications. The team believes that by combining pen and touch, new gestures and modes of interaction can come to light, such as using one hand to drag an object, and the pen to slice objects with a virtual X-Acto knife.

Check out the video clip below to see just how intuitive the interface seems to be:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Pretty slick, eh? I’d love to have a system like this in my office for whiteboarding creative ideas, and if I were doing graphic design work on a regular basis, this thing could be great. Since this is just a research project at this point, I’ve got no idea if or when Microsoft will produce this software for others to enjoy. For now, it’s just me, my iPad and my Pogo Sketch.

[via istartedsomething]

Created by an engineering team at the University of British Columbia’s Human Communications Technology Lab, the pCubee is a handheld display comprised of 5 flat-panel LCD screens. The cube automatically adjusts to movements and allows users to interact with objects inside a virtual 3D world rendered inside the cube. Check out the video below to see how truly impressive the effect can be:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

No word if and when the technology will be commercialized, but this is definitely the type of 3D technology that gets me excited. Thankfully, with no stupid looking glasses strapped to my head.

[via 3D Display info]

Created by a group of students for Simon Fraser University’s School of Interactive Arts + Technology (SIAT), the weBlimp is a remote-controlled flying machine that’s driven through crowd collaboration. A camera and audio sensors installed in one room react to the crowd’s movements and convey those to the blimp’s flight controls in another room.

According to its creators, the weBlimp’s control mechanism “conceptually miniaturizes participants and places them inside the gondola of a remote controlled blimp.” As you can see by the video below, it’s really a pretty ridiculous way to control the thing, and produces what I wouldn’t call the most controlled flight you’ve ever seen. But it still looks like fun.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

At least they didn’t fill their airship with hydrogen, cover it with highly flammable paint then hit it with some static electricity.

[via GreenDiary via NOTCOT]

This Gesture Cube kind of reminds me of those Microsoft Surface interactive tables. You know the ones I mean? I keep seeing them in CSI:Miami, making using a computer look like something out of Minority Report.

The Gesture Cube was designed by a European team comprised of IDENT Technology AG, ZINOSIGN and LUNAR, and puts gesture controlled interfaces into something different than you’ve probably seen before. The portable cube serves as remote input device to a host of different devices around your home, such as media servers, computers, and household appliances.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Its interface would be based on electric field sensing technology, which can detect movement and gestures in 3D – without the need to touch the screen. Looks incredibly cool. I want one now!

[via Gizmo Watch]

The faderTouch 3.0 isn’t just your run-of-the-mill sequencer. Nope, the unique portable device features an innovative rear-projection system that allows not only VJ, but his audience to watch the on-screen action. By installing a bright projector inside a briefcase, and aiming it at an angular projection screen, the display can be viewed from either side.

In addition to the projector, the screen has an infrared touch panel overlay which allows him to interact with his custom performance interface which was programmed using Processing, and acts as a MIDI controller for Ableton Live. Here’s a couple of videos showing off the system in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

And if you check out the next clip, you can see the faderTouch being used in a live performance at the recent Wham Bam Thank You NAMM show- very cool indeed.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Like what you saw and heard? You can check out a whole bunch of VJ Fader’s performances over on his YouTube page.

Blump’it is designed to provide an easy, fingertip-optimized interface for accessing Internet applications on wireless or 3G-connected touchscreen device. From what I’ve seen so far, it really just looks like a glorified touch menu for your web browser, but maybe I’m missing something.

To make it a bit more compelling, Blump’it is distributing an unbranded “lab” tablet with a 10.2″ LCD touchscreen (1024×600 resolution), running on an Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz CPU and a Linux OS/Blump’it interface combo. The tablet measures in at a rather hefty 24.7mm (.972″) thick, and weighs 950 grams (just about 2 pounds) – with the rechargeable battery pack in place. The tablet includes both 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi and CDMA 3G connectivity – which means that if you’re on a GSM network – you’re out of luck for now.

To see the Blump’it interface and hardware in action, check out this video from the guys at netbooknews… (to cut to the chase, skip ahead to 1:55 for the hardware, and 4:50 for the interface).

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Did you notice the Blump’it virtual keyboard is an AZERTY, not a QWERTY? That’s because the tablet comes from France. I’m assuming you’ll have a choice of keyboards once it’s released worldwide – if not, that sure would be silly. Interested? Blump’it is taking pre-orders for the tablet now at their website for €499 or $699 (USD). If you’re interested in checking out the software interface on your own computer, they plan on releasing a Firefox plug-in sometime in January and you can register for the Alpha here. Rumor has it, they’re also working on a Chrome version.

Developed by Germany’s Elektrosil and Citron, dreaMTouch can actually detect up to 32 simultaneous touch points on displays as large as 82″ diagonal. The dreaMTouch can even handle all of those tracking points without any worry about such things as your fingers crossing paths – which can be a problem with technologies like the NextWindow touchscreen tech that HP uses in their Touchsmart desktops.

The system is designed to layer on top of existing display technologies, adding a 4mm thick piece of laminated safety glass in front of the screen. Data is then sent to any computer using a standard USB interface.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The dreaMTouch can even detect the size and location of objects placed in the touch area – which means it could be used to build tangible interaction apps like the ones you find on Microsoft’s Surface. Sweet! Plus it interfaces directly with TUIO, a popular open source standard for interacting with multitouch applications.

No word on how and when you’ll be able to get your hands on one of these, so for now, we’ll just have to sit back and wait and live with our primitive old 2 finger multitouch computers. Waaah.

[via Multitouch.nl]

The unusual computer controller features over 30 touch points which can be used to interact with your games and other software like you’ve never done before. Each glove can be custom calibrated to your own unique touch and hand size, and each touch point can be mapped to your computer keys using the included configuration software. Since the glove emulates keys on your keyboard, you can play just about any game with it – although it’s probably best for RTS and MMORPG games. But I’d still like to try playing MAME with one.

The military-grade glove attaches to your computer with a breakaway magnetic connector pod that’s designed to breakaway in case you get too raucous when thrashing around.  And since it’s a standard HID-compliant USB device you can use it with Windows, Mac OS and Linux computers without a problem. (though the configuration software is only coming for Windows and Macs).

Check out the videos below to see the Peregrine in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Peregrine expects to start shipping the glove in early 2010 for $129 (USD) – $20 off of the regular price, and you can pre-order yours here.

With this nifty Smart Pad peripheral from Speed, you can add not only an external numeric keypad to your laptop or desktop, but one that works as a true multitouch input device. The compact Smart Pad plugs into any available USB port, and ships with software which lets you start using multitouch gestures to control window movement, mouse buttons, image zooming, scrolling, and other interactions with your computer. The touchpad can support 1, 2 and 3-finger gestures, many of which work with all programs.

There are also a number of specialized gestures that work with popular programs like the MS Office suite and Adobe Acrobat. No word on whether or  not there’s any multitouch drawing apps that’ll work with the Smart Pad, but I’m hoping that somebody will hack one together since the hardware could certainly support it.

Just keep in mind that these early drivers pictured below are in Korean, but I’m hopeful the final version ships with English software.

The Smart Pad’s specs say it works with Windows XP/Vista, though, so I’m not sure if there are any compatibility issues with Windows 7, which has native multitouch support. The device ships this November and is available for pre-order over at Brando for $40 (USD).

As you can see from the picture above, Miller’s take on the next generation interface is a keyboard-sized multitouch pad, partnered with software that makes use of 10 fingers at once. But that’s not even half of Miller’s practical ideas. He also imagines an operating system that, instead of letting users clutter their screens with windows, imposes order by constraining the position, size, and movement of windows. Think it won’t work? You’d better watch Miller’s video for the rest of his 10 cents:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You know what, screw you tengooey, man the narrator’s voice is hypnotic. Comforting. Soothing. He could be saying fruit gallop poncho for all I care. I think I’ll play this video until I fall asleep. Check out the 10/GUI website for more info.

[via digg]