Science Fiction Dictionary
A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

 

Khronos Projector at NextFest 2006

The Khronos Projector is a very cool interface design, even though it is merely an art project. And yes, I know, I'm really late with this article, since it's from the excellent NextFest 2006 exhibition. (At this rate, I won't be done until next year's NextFest...)

Anyway, this is why the Khronos Projector is so cool. It uses a kind of flexible sheet screen; the projector itself stores a video of a single scene over time. When you press on the flexible screen, the projected scene varies in time. The video shown below shows you what I mean.


(Khronos Projector video)

It can be used to explore different scenes over time; it can also be used to push your way through different parts of an object.


(Alvaro Cassinelli demonstrates at NextFest 2006)

I can assure you that it is lots of fun to play with, and provides a one-of-a-kind interface to explore. I spent at least ten minutes exploring the cityscape shown in the picture above; your mind can't quite decide whether pressing on the image and bringing nightfall is an exploration of the future or a memory of the past.

The spatio-temporal fusion algorithm is the core of the Khronos program: it consist on blending hundreds of images from a movie sequence to produce a unique displayed image. The blending operation is controlled by a "spatio-temporal filter", or "spatio-temporal cutting surface", which is a two-dimensional surface lying inside the "spatio-temporal volume" of the movie. The fused image is the union of all the intersections of the spatio-temporal surface with each image in the sequence.

The program (extremely computationally hungry) was prototyped using Matlab, and finally coded in C++ using OpenGL. The present version can display the dynamic blended image both in 2D but also in 3D by mapping the image on a NURBS-generated surface representing the actual time/pressure map.

Read about other multi-touch interfaces, including Apple's iPhone (I'm waiting for the flexible Khronos screen ;). If you're as behind in your reading as I am, take a look these amazing technologies from Wired NextFest 2006. Read more about the Khronos Projector.

Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 1/21/2007)

Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.

| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |

Would you like to contribute a story tip? It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add it here.

Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )

Related News Stories - (" Display ")

Augmented Reality Book Covers Reveal The Inner Book
'The E-paper holograms leaped from lurid covers...' - Greg Bear, 2003.

TCL CSOT 17-Inch Printed OLED Scrolling Display
'..a wide sheet of clear material suddenly flared with light and swirling colour.' - EC Tubb, 1958.

Looking Glass Display Good Enough For Science Fiction, Fantasy
'The figure seemed to be swimming toward the surface.' - Roger Zelazny, 1981.

LG Wing Twisting Smartphone Might Be Fun
'A polycarbon screen unfurled...' - William Gibson, 1986.

 

Google
  Web TechNovelgy.com   

Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.

 

 

 

 

Science Fiction Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's   1950's
1960's   1970's
1980's   1990's
2000's   2010's

Current News

Japan's LignoSat Space Wood Satellite And Dan Simmons' Treeship
'The Consul remembered his first glimpse of the kilometer-long treeship...'

Skyline Robotics Instantiates Heinlein's 'Window Willie' Skyscraper Robot
'Do you know what window washing used to cost by the hour?'

Drone Bombings In Moscow Foreseen 100 Years Ago
'Once the target is confirmed, it uses an IR laser to send a coded signal back to the parent, clearing it to attack.'

I Didn't Know You Can Already Buy Flesh Putty
'I filled your bullet hole with flesh putty and the lattice.'

'A Sign in Space' Gives Practice In Decoding ET Messages
'... it will be easy to form an alphabet which shall enable us to converse with the inhabitants of the moon.'

Melting Permafrost Endangers Infrastructure
'From the tower's huge octagonal base radiate wide silvery strips...'

EELS Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor For Enceladus
'It was about five feet long... a black bullet head and red camera eyes.'

Lazy Lawyer's Trust In ChatGPT Misplaced
'The Law Society has strict rules on the use of pseudo-intelligent software...'

Paradromics Implant FDA 'Breakthrough Device'
'I used my implant to tell MILLIE what we wanted...'

Mice, At Least, Can Sober Up Quickly
'Then draw some aldodote-vitamin pills from the medic.'

Is It Time For Lunar Farside Telescopes?
'Mount Ambarzumian Observatory, on Farside.'

Spaceflight Vertigo Solved By NASA Releasing The Kraken
"I threw up in my helmet."

TM-62 Loitering Ground Landmine
Runaway movie comes to life!

Helpful Robots In Science Fiction
'If you douse me again... I'm donating you to a city college.'

Lunar Pogo Stick - Retro Technovelgy From 1968
'Lucky touched the leap knob...'

MIT And Rice Create Blade Runner Photo Analysis
Rick Deckard, your photo analysis is ready.

More SF in the News Stories

More Beyond Technovelgy science news stories

Home | Glossary | Invention Timeline | Category | New | Contact Us | FAQ | Advertise |
Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.