Students build 3D computer interface using copper, felt, and lots of moxie
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted April 29th 2009 11:51AM
posted April 29th 2009 11:51AM
Always on the lookout for bigger and better ways to faux-scratch a record with your PC, these students at Northeastern University have developed a human-computer interface that utilizes copper pads and our beloved theory of electrostatics. This little devil is able to track the position of a user's hand in three dimensions, without attaching markers to the body or requiring the user to hold some sort of controller. We can think of a couple theremin players that would love to get their hands on one of these things (Mike Love, we're looking at you). But don't take out word for it -- peep the video below to groove along with these dudes as they literally rock the (virtual) bells, play some organ, and even do a little fingerpainting.
meh
A+
Yes, please don't take out word for it
Can I have it home delivered then?
There was one misspelled in that post. (I took out word)
Fruvous?
http://www.fruvous.com/
I was all excited I thought since they are from Massachusetts that there would be some connection to the soda Moxie but good job any ways guys
You beat me to it. I watched that whole video and was disappointed to see no one drinking Moxie. Pretty cool toy they've created though.
This is not new. Work like this was done at the MIT Media Lab over 10 years ago.
http://web.media.mit.edu/~jrs/
http://web.media.mit.edu/~jrs/onehand.mpg
http://web.media.mit.edu/~joep/SpectrumWeb/captions/Chair.html
Having a lot of trouble loading those links. Care to give us a quick rundown of what the MIT folks did and how similar it is?
Thank you Mr. Buzz Killington.
The MIT project, though, was never developed to its full potential--they just kind of abandoned it where it was and left the technology out there. These guys manipulated and saw through an application of that technology and fully realized it.
Would you say that the MIT guys just ganked their work from the theremin? Because really, this is just a modern interpretation of that technology.
Very impressive for a senior design project. They'll probably toss this to a grad student and see where it goes if these kids don't go for a patent on something like it.
Wow, these guys are smart!
what cool fokes
Is there anything you can't do with PICs?
(No)
Crysis ?
With enough of them, you can emulate an x86 cpu and a gpu, so yes.
Program them efficiently in C?
Oh snap.
Zapp:
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/real_programmers.png
But pitying those fools who can't, I suppose Assembly is real enough.
cool cool... i wish i had put my mind in one thing and create something but it doesnt stick to one thing... :P
Housing around Boston is STILL too expensive!
mike love? i think you meant brian wilson
All of that and the person filming is just like "cool...". lol
oh wow, i wish i have the ability and the technology to do that when i was in school.
btw All my teachers had less knowledge than most of us... thats how bad it was... haha
test
In b4 Nintendo buys all rights to this
Rock on, guys. Very cool.
Hmm, mount those sensors behind a big-screen monitor, invert the axis and you might have something there. EM interference would be a bitch though.