Beyond Star Trek's Tricorder Technology is MIT's Prototype SixthSense Device
Science fiction buffs that Wikipedia “tricorder” get the definition: “in a fictional Star-Trek universe , a general-purpose device used primarily to scout unfamiliar areas, make detailed examination of living things, and record and review technical data.” Now it’s no longer science fiction. Tricorder capabilities are envisioned for today’s GPS equipped smartphones with image recognition camera technology and anywhere access to the Internet.
Although the Star Trek tricorder idea may have been visionary then, the talk of the recent TED (Technology -- Entertainment -- Design) convention is the amazing research being done at the MIT media Lab known as "SixthSense"–a fluid interface device that will advance the technology to a higher level.
How SixthSense Works
As described by the MIT developers: "SixthSense is a wearable gestural interface that augments the physical world around us with digital information and lets us use natural hand gestures to interact with that information.The SixthSense prototype is comprised of a pocket projector, a mirror and a camera. The hardware components are coupled in a pendant like mobile wearable device. Both the projector and the camera are connected to the mobile computing device in the user's pocket. The projector projects visual information enabling surfaces, walls and physical objects around us to be used as interfaces; while the camera recognizes and tracks user's hand gestures and physical objects using computer-vision based techniques."
This allows the wearer to project information onto surfaces. You might use it to enhance your shopping experience, projecting a rating from Amazon onto books in a bookstore. You might enhance the printed copy of The Wall Street Journal with a projected video clip, or project a word cloud associated with someone onto their clothing as you talked to them.
What SixthSense Can Do Today
The MIT team describes its capabilities as follows: "The SixthSense prototype implements several applications that demonstrate the usefulness, viability and flexibility of the system. The map application lets the user navigate a map displayed on a nearby surface using hand gestures, similar to gestures supported by Multi-Touch based systems, letting the user zoom in, zoom out or pan using intuitive hand movements. For example, drawing a magnifying glass symbol takes the user to the map application or drawing an '@' symbol lets the user check his mail. The gesture of drawing a circle on the user's wrist projects an analog watch. The current prototype system costs approximately $350 to build."
SixthSense Information Displayed Privately
One can envision SixthSense technology deployed in a variety of display devices which will make it easier and less obtrusive to visualize information on the go. One method would be to use specially equipped eyeglasses where the SixthSense image can be displayed privately on the user's glasses.
Another technology under development is the LCD contact lens. Engineers at the University of Washington have for the first time used manufacturing techniques at microscopic scales to combine a flexible, biologically safe contact lens with an imprinted electronic circuit and lights.
Implications of the Technology
The SixthSense technology may have far-reaching privacy implications that need to be explored. The technology however in its purest form can give us the ability to know and better control our immediate environment. When the technology is available in a cell phone size device that can instantly display information about the person place or thing we are observing at the time, we will have crossed a new threshold in the information age. A threshold that even Mr. Spock would envy.
References
http://www.pranavmistry.com/projects/sixthsense/
http://uwnews.washington.edu/ni/article.asp?articleID=39094
http://www.ted.com/
http://www.innovation-movement.com/
