
Researchers at MIT develop a shape-shifting table surface [video] - jonbaer
http://deadstate.org/watch-researchers-at-mit-develop-a-bizarre-shape-shifting-table-surface-that-will-blow-your-mind/
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NickHolt
I loved the 3-D plotting, that definitely sold me on entertainment value at
least. I think at this stage its uses are fairly limited, but it's likely
meant to be somewhat of a proof of concept at this point. Yeah the "car" they
were "designing" was kind of silly, but smaller piston sizes and less
"pixelation" may make something like that more feasible.

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Groxx
So basically they made X-Men's pin-table-thing? Probably loads of fun, but
honestly I'm having trouble seeing the use. Rolling a ball around through the
internet isn't exactly a day-to-day event, and is probably better accomplished
with a Sphero.

edit: finally watched the video. impressively well developed, and a lot faster
than I've seen before. So yeah, with a _lot_ better resolution, it could be a
thing. I'm not finding much in the way of actual details of how it works
("linkages" = ?), but it seems like it could scale kinda decently. I still
think macro-actuators to micro-display is not the way to go in this, though
it's probably a lot easier to play with.

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huu
"So they basically made a machine the size of a room to do calculations any
fourth grader could do? Probably loads of fun, but honestly I'm having trouble
seeing the use. Find the sum of 2 + 2 isn't exactly a day-to-day event, and is
probably better accomplished with pen and paper."

Technology this nascent probably aren't the best subjects of this type of
argument. I think we should wait and see what this can become.

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Oculus
This is just a version 1.0, if not less. Imagine when the columns become much
smaller and the amount of them increases. That coupled with higher resolution
projectors can make for some real cool applications of the technology.

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zizee
I've long thought that this sort of thing would be awesome for virtual reality
applications. Add independently moving motorized ball bearings to the tips of
each column and you could have an multi-directional treadmill with the ability
to simulate different terrains.

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sixQuarks
In 30 years, people will look back and think how primitive we were to be
interacting through limited screens, keyboards, and input devices. Our natural
human instinct is to interact by manipulating objects.

This type of interaction will be so natural and "obvious", that future
generations will look at us as and shudder to think how we managed.

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AndrewKemendo
This is amazing. I can see this changing the face of distant interaction by
leaps and bounds.

We never cease to amaze.

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flashgordon
Wow can you imagine a better Warhammer table!

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chm
That is disruptive technology.

