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gCubik shows off its good side, and every other while it's at it (video)
Remember gCubik? It's been a few months, but to recap, it's a cube developed by researchers from NICT that features textured surfaces that present you a different view on the "internal" image based on viewing angle, giving the illusion something is physically in the box. Theoretically, at least -- it's pretty low-resolution and in the early stages of development. We stumbled upon the device at the CEATEC showfloor this week and decided to snap some video while there. There were moments when the effect was lost, and getting too close completely blurred what we saw to the point of incomprehension, but again, this shows a whole heap of potential that's fascinating to us. See it for yourself after the break.
NICT's gCubik six-screened touchscreen cube in action
In theory, NICT's gCubik sounds like a pretty wild idea -- wrap a box in six screens, simulate a 3D object inside, make it touchscreen interactive. In reality, the screens are perhaps just a bit too low-resolution to really pull off any sort of illusion, but it's certainly a start. The 3.5-inch VGA screens that surround the cube are themselves 3D, with 18 x 18 different viewable angles, drastically reducing the quantity of pixels available to each view. NICT is looking at full HD or higher resolution displays to refine the idea, and while users can currently touch the screens to move the object "within," they're hoping to add further interaction like cube-shakage further down the line. Video is after the break.
gCubik displays 3D images on 4-inch cube, we want
We've pondered the potential for 3D display cubes for years now, but the gCubik looks to bring us a bit closer to a final concept. Measuring just 10 centimeters (about four inches), this diminutive display device visualizes objects in all three dimensions on the facets of a physical cube. Created by Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), the device could see uses in science, business, and, most importantly, videogames. The little guy will be shown next month in Tokyo and then in August at Siggraph 2008 in the US, with hopes of adding tighter resolution and real-world applications shortly thereafter.
