Madget physical controls for multitouch surfaces move themselves, blow our minds (video)
By Tim Stevens 
posted August 2nd 2010 1:54PM
posted August 2nd 2010 1:54PM
[Thanks, Fabian Hemmert]
posted August 2nd 2010 1:54PM
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cool beans! :D
@williamtsims Hot tamales! I love proof of concepts with real today technology!
Damn that's elegant.
@williamtsims this is better than gizmoodo.
@williamtsims
This falls squarely into the "Totally amazing technology" that "I have no clue how it would help me in my life" category.
@bjsguess
I agree. This is pretty amazing but I don't see how this would be useful unless you put these in a trail along your floor and attach an arm for quick and easy beer fetching. But thats just crazy....
Now THAT's Magical and Revolutionary
@216 Now THIS is what microsoft should invest in for their surface!
Magnets... How do they work!?
@greezyg Madgets, how the &%#@ do they work?!
@greezyg magic.
@greezyg The funny thing, scientists still don't really understand magnetic forces (according to Discover magazine).
This is pretty neat but what is the power consumption. Feasibility into consumer homes do not look ready for YEARS. Great conception. It's like going forward and backwards AT THE SAME TIME.
@Dammitcubs
@ballistic90
Ok, let me try posting again...
This isn't currently feasible to be implemented into homes or even most commercial purposes, but without prototypes like these, future products may never be made. This is a very impressive technical demonstration, which could net them a lot of investment for future commercial products.
The word sounds like some sort of Midget-Magnet Hybrid. This is an amazing piece of engineering.
This will be awesome for a next gen DJ console.
That's pretty cool, I'm rather impressed.
Did someone say....
....physical gaming controls for a touch screen phone? :D
YES PLEASE!!
@LiveFromThe215
May be sooner than you think...
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/26/cp-designs-iphone-game-pad-prototype-does-donkey-kong-country-r/
so microsoft surface on steroids
german engineering ftw
This must be an Apple product. Because I don't know what it actually does.
@enstriel Apple bashing on this article will not get you highly ranked or the highest rank. Apple has nothing to do with this cool gadget.
@enstriel THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!
@JStar you take things too seriously. And I don't even know about what ranking you are talking about.
Sweet
This blows my mind as well
Finally, I can play chess with the computer without having to look at the screen, or do his moves for him... This is gonna be great for board games....
outstanding!
Does anyone else appreciate the irony of developing touchscreen technology to near perfection and then being blown away by adding physical controls?
It's like that futurama episode where they find a phone booth and say "oh thank god I don't have to carry this cellphone everywhere"
@QuidProQuo
Anything you can actually feel is always better.
The government made them delete the video segment with the classified "Killbot Madget"
WOW!
This reminds me of those electronic learning kits from radio shack.
Can you imagine just placing the components on the table and "connect" them by drawing a line? Kind of like a prototyping table.
Now that would be cool.
I like this concept a lot.
Madget: mad gadget :)
I love Magnets!
and
I love new technology!
??
http://ikejhamb.com
It reminds me of a ouija board. So a simple explanation of how this works would just be "the devil did it"
It would be cool if that table was the floor of my house, and a coffee table was a madget in my home, but in its current form it doesn't add to the user experience in any way other than a gimmick.
This is the beginning of star trek universe. Data would have orgasm playing this new toy.
They're probably just using magic under the table. There's no such thing as magnets.
I can see many uses for this in the near future!
Fantastic stuff, but I can't see the actual purpose of this beyond the proof of concept. Its also kind of "hack-ish" what with the magnets, the reflective film and the other requirements.
For this to catch on, it has to be a system that will work in *all* touch screens or at least all table-tp touch screens.
So for manufacturers of touch screens to incorporate all those magnets and layers of materials, (which would cost a fortune), there has to be a clear over-arching purpose for these things that applies to all scenarios. I don't see it.
@Gazoobee
I rather think for this to take off it doesn't have to be compatible at all, but rather tightly designed for one specific need where it makes sense. It's gonna be expensive anyways, so it's not for the masses.
For instance for controlling audio filters, video filters, colour correction. If you want to apply a filter to the current shot, just put the corresponding filter device on the table - tune it, and when you're done just remove it from the table.
I think it's a great proof of concept with a lot of potential!
Risk, Catan, Axis and Allies, Monopoly, etc......
I need this now.
Side bonus: whoever programs the games could theoretically manipulate magnetic loaded die to his advantage.
Enable Steampunk Computer Now!
I see Magic Chess in the near future!
v.10 of that technology is going to be awesome!
D&D enthusiasts utopia
You tube video