Pablo Picasso is quoted as saying, "good artists copy and great artists steal." Good thing the quoter was Steve Jobs then, because the latest Apple patent application to go public looks very much like something
Johnny Chung Lee pieced together
with a Wiimote way back in 2007. Filed for in June 2008, the new patent is for a system tracking the location of the user's head and responding to his movements in a fashion that should generate a realistic three-dimensional viewing experience sans
those pesky glasses. We've got video of Johnny's setup after the break, and as he himself describes it, the idea behind a "desktop VR" is to unbound imagery from the screen surface and to make your monitor or TV act like a window unto whatever is being displayed. That means Apple will need a new branding scheme should this application turn into a real product -- iWindow just might be the least likely product name in the history of consumer electronics.
posted December 17th 2009 8:22AM
Geezus the comment system is awful
Heh. I had a working system in place back in February that fully integrated with the desktop environment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=askKFSe3aLk - The concept was in place and working back in February of '08 (but didn't use a webcam at the time): http://cgit.compiz.org/inactive/users/klange/wiitrack/
And from the diagrams, they're doing it wrong. The viewing box isn't supposed to shift from the frame of the display, it ruins the effect.
@Atkins
mathfail! Just kidding :). The other person would just see a really jacked up screen. Watch some of the Johnny C videos. They really are the best way to understand what's going on.
The 3D diagram is all wrong relative to the head's position. They better fix their math before the final product goes on sale...
@loocas
I like all this tech being used to render a bar graph.
@loocas, it's not wrong. The user's head is shown as if there were a camera attached to the display, looking back at the user. In other words, the user appears mirrored.
@CityZen Oh... well, in that case, downrank me into oblivion, guys. :) My bad. I thought it was a rendition of the user's actual position relative to the screen, not mirrored.
I think this is all part of Apple's quest to remove every single button and key from your computing experience. Because it's pretty easy, even now!, to move a 3D model around with your mouse by clicking and dragging. Personally, I don't want to be sitting at a desk, moving my head around in order to see part of a 3D Excel chart. Just because you can do it doesn't make it a good idea.
I don't think this is for accounting/business uses.
@Wwhat
Perhaps you didn't see the posted images in the article?
@sonicyoof
The posited images are normally to clarify the device not necessarily for indicating the use, we've all seen the most daft and ridiculous drawings come with patents on engadget.
@sonicyoof
Patent says:
"For example, a user surfing the Internet can view images of products available for purchase. As another example, a user of a graphic application (e.g., a CAD application) may create three-dimensional objects. "
@Wwhat
Sure, it may not be used for that but the image is there.
"a user of a graphic application (e.g., a CAD application) may create three-dimensional objects"
Create 3D objects or just view them? Either way, real 3D modelers have been doing just fine with a mouse and keyboard. This just sounds like eye candy to me.
hehehe..... call it iStole :D
What is claimed is:
1. An electronic device for displaying three-dimensional objects, comprising control circuitry, a display and a sensing mechanism, the control circuitry operative to:
direct the display to display a three-dimensional object;
direct the sensing mechanism to detect the current position of the user;
transform the object to appear to be viewed from the detected current position; and
direct the display to display the transformed object.
The amount of prior art they're going to dig up for this claim is ridiculous. The dependent claims aren't even that useful fallback positions. Patent fail.
@Joe Here, have some prior art.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5ODz3MNd6s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYLNprRplmc
^ Note the date that last one was posted. We had it working in February of 2008. Date of patent? June.
"to make your monitor or TV act like a window unto whatever is being displayed"
Sort of like what a monitor/LCD does by it's simple existence, just in 2D cause... it's physically a 2D screen!
To 3-Ders and Johnny: It's still a 2D screen and always be a 2D screen. Just ask Tufte. It's better to focus on beaming that info into your head to create a true 3D environment...