Head-mounted display controls video camera, keeps you painfully single
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted July 28th 2010 2:24PM
posted July 28th 2010 2:24PM
At the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo, Satoshi Nariai demonstrates something called the head-mounted Mobile Video Communication System. With acceleration and position sensors built into a head-mounted display, the remote camera moves in relation to your head's movements. The researcher sees this being used primarily for videoconferencing where he thinks it will promote effective communication by allowing eye contact. Of course, there's one problem with that -- if you're both wearing large displays on your face, how could you possibly make eye contact? Unless, of course, you paint eyes onto the outside of the display itself, Loony Tunes-style. That said, it's still an impressive piece of gear. See it in action after the break.
No thank you, Engadget is my chick repellent.
@Squalor Win!
@Squalor Damn technology is moving too fast!
It's true :(
@Squalor A brutally honest man. +1.
@Squalor
LOL win :)
@Squalor
The camera looks just like the guy's face! creepy!
If I've been single for so long that I've become numb to the pain, can I still use it normally or does it affect performance?
sorry, us army has had this for years now on their talon robots. nothing new.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3097952099521879382#
It is new because it is being commercialized now... Just like the internet.
Fun ruiner :(
@annoyingposter3 yeah, funny how the designer is talking about people using it to make eye contact on a phone when all I thought was "that'd make a badass remote periscope!"
Okay, I'm trying to wrap my head around how this actually helps make eye contact. If you turn your head for any reason, the camera moves off your face. So as long as you're perfectly still, you're looking right at it and can make eye contact which, handily enough, is a feature incorporated into every camcorder EVER.
@bluesoul -- you can put the camera at the end of a conference table, and the camera will move so you can look at everyone in the meeting. The will be wearing glasses too, and will see you instead of the camera...
the version they have there is obviously too bulky, but if you notice the future version rendering, it looks like a normal set of spectacles...
@PolarBearTC Thanks, I knew I had to be looking at this from the wrong perspective. I still don't get it though, wouldn't simple facial recognition software be more practical, cheaper and basically a better solution to pots and accelerometers? We're not talking 360-degree range of motion for the practical application of this anyway.
I prefer these to be attached:
http://ijokester.com/springy-eyeball-glasses.html
Why do university students always come up with the most impractical gadgets? Why not work on something that will actually make you some money? Someone needs to get a F on his report card lol
@dicobalt After PolarBearTC explained the actual use of this thing I get that it's for business use, and you can never go wrong banking on corporate stupidity and wastefulness.
@dicobalt Agreed! I want to see when they make the rest of the robot so I will never need to leave the house again.
This would be great on an RC car or airplane...and it has already been done.
"keeps you painfully single"
HA HA HA
Hilarious
:P
Painfully single?
Tried marriage yet?
Didn't think so...