LuminAR robot finally shows us what pico projectors were meant for (video)
By Tim Stevens 
posted June 10th 2010 8:49AM
posted June 10th 2010 8:49AM
posted June 10th 2010 8:49AM
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WOW
@ZeCoder yeah it's awesome but AR glasses would probably be cooler. though this is Here, Now I can only cheer
WOW!! Real "IRON MAN"
@ZeCoder AGREED!!
I WANT ONE!!
@ZeCoder
some people seem to have too much time …
@theevil
Agreed! Very cool. Just imagine an entire nettop in that small unit!
However, this will take a long time to come out though. For starters, I wonder what was causing black lines to appear on the displayed surface.
@egress63 That black line is probabbly the scan line interference from the video camera (you'll see the same effect when videoing a TV)
You wouldn't see that black line in real life.
@ZeCoder
That was my reaction too.
At first sight it didnt look like much but this has lots of promise. Maybe when mobiles w/ projectors are pervasive.
This is brilliant.
Break the pixel prison!
I'l take one
this is just amazing, i fully support the idea and i believe it will somehow change the way we interact with objects whenever implemented into real products
@jasha
Even without the robotic arm this thing is a very good idea. Did I understand it correctly that the projector is powered through the lightbulb socket? That's extremely clever! :-)
Put a nice case around it and it's perfect. You can ship it to my house and I'll take good care of it ;)
Really great construction and idea.
That's frickin cool, when will I be able to buy it?
This looks like something out of Iron Man 2. That completely holographic environment is coming to life!
@guitarkid
When something is projected on a surface than it is not a holograph. But I like this invention anyway.
@SeeKo Sorry, maybe I made my post wrong.
"The holographic environment is slowly coming to life".
What I meant was that this could be a big step towards making the holograms true.
@guitarkid
Sorry, actually I was wrong. The definition of a hologram doesn't say anything about surfaces or not at all. I guess it could be projected on a wall. It "simply" has to be a direct projected replica of something real that you can look at or interact with as it was the original.
computer+lamp+one of those= frickin awesome woot
Crazily amazing! Awesome! Can't wait for the future... what it can bring... augmented reality ftw!
Quick! Somebody get that man some funding! I need a robotic AR lamp.
Those MIT students...
@thisNthat
They'r good, they"r good...
But without business students.... they would be nothing :p haha
@DeviantmacG http://mitsloan.mit.edu/
but where's the cute guy from the picture? i feel cheated
I hope he patents this before Apple steal it and revolutionize the way we use projectors :P
Nah....
Maybe Bill Gates was right. The future of personal computer interface just might be cameras and projectors scatter throughout your house.
Who thinks that Robots are going to control us in the future?
Iron man styl!:P
It requires all white furnitures though.
But, maybe if we all hope hard enough, it will actually happen. Is there any way we can petition a large firm (Microsoft, Apple, Sony, *Insert your fanboy company here) to pick up this tech and develop it for CE use? It already looks well hashed out...
Also, for some reason, this reminds me of "The First $20 Million is the Hardest." Now where is Rosario?
Yes Mr. Stark?
This reminds me of a talk that I recently viewed on TED.
http://www.ted.com/talks/john_underkoffler_drive_3d_data_with_a_gesture.html
"I love lamp."
YES!!! For the love that is all holy and tech...YES!!!!
How can there be a keyboard without a sensor to tell that a finger has touched the surface?
@joquarky
That's why the unit also has a camera.
That's how most indirect interaction is handled, including MS Surface. Multiple cameras at multiple angles would be better, but less mobile.
@joquarky Hello-oo, camera?
This is very cool. I want to be able to tell the robot what I want to see and then maybe it can figure out where I'm sitting :P
The only thing I see that could be a problem is typing. It looks like it uses some kind of shadow detection system, which means you're going to get a lot of random unnecessary clicks.
Seriously, sell the light bulb part and forget the robot. Throw in WiFi connectivity to the computer (instead of the USB as shown) and you've got a workspace anywhere in your home (kitchen counter, dining room, desk, coffee table). The computer is there when you want it with a hand gesture and then gone when you don't. Simple elegance that will sell.
@dlipper2 . Why use USB? Just use one of those networking via power-line technologies and have one less cable from the lamp.
@DeafWhisper The MIT folks used USB in the video. I'd go for WiFi instead of a power line internet connection simply because more people have a WiFi network already. Heck, you could probably throw in some LEDs and make it work as a light bulb when it isn't a computer interface. I'd drop serious money on this.
Oh great.
When someone at the Dept. Of defense is typing, a fly passes by under the sensor, cliches the system and sends a nuke to Florida. Opps!
There goes South Beach!
I wonder if this is sponsored by Coca Cola :P
Is it me or did it look kinda choppy? (the video) I might be wrong, but lets get like a core i5 or i7 in that thing!
Wow i'd totally buy one of these!
Are you listening consumer electronics market?
This is very nice and very cool and usable- but- I'd have to say that something like this would be obsolete and seem silly when table top displays become cheaper. Why use this when you can have a giant touch screen that is your actual desk?
But still, awesome job. It's definitely inspiring.
that's a nice technology...very nice:)
curse my black desk.