I’m speechless; this new prototype by MIT is nothing short or astonishing. This wearable device let’s you physically interact on any surface that’s in front of you. The “Sixth Sense” system from Patti Maes’ Fluid Interfaces Group at the MIT Media Lab opens the doors to touch interfaces. With the Sixth Sense, you can watch a video over a newspaper, navigate through images on a wall, or view a map on a countertop. MIT’s new prototype can also recognize certain hand gestures. For example, if you were to make a picture gesture with your fingers, a picture would be taken.


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The SixthSense prototype implements several applications that demonstrate the usefulness, viability and flexibility of the system. The map application lets the user navigate a map displayed on a nearby surface using hand gestures, similar to gestures supported by Multi-Touch based systems, letting the user zoom in, zoom out or pan using intuitive hand movements. The drawing application lets the user draw on any surface by tracking the fingertip movements of the user’s index finger. SixthSense also recognizes user’s freehand gestures (postures). For example, the SixthSense system implements a gestural camera that takes photos of the scene the user is looking at by detecting the ‘framing’ gesture. The user can stop by any surface or wall and flick through the photos he/she has taken. SixthSense also lets the user draw icons or symbols in the air using the movement of the index finger and recognizes those symbols as interaction instructions. For example, drawing a magnifying glass symbol takes the user to the map application or drawing an ‘@’ symbol lets the user check his mail. The SixthSense system also augments physical objects the user is interacting with by projecting more information about these objects projected on them. For example, a newspaper can show live video news or dynamic information can be provided on a regular piece of paper. The gesture of drawing a circle on the user’s wrist projects an analog watch.
The current prototype system costs approximate $350 to build.
via [sixthsense]