Researchers Combine a Kinect and a Bathtub to Create a Gaming Surface

[Josh Engen]

Researchers Combine a Kinect and a Bathtub to Create a Gaming Surface


Using the Microsoft Kinect, a projector, and a bath, several Japanese researchers have created an interactive display surface.

Several researchers from the Koike Laboratory at the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo have created an interactive surface by combining a Kinect with a small basin of water.

Aside from being a little strange, the surface is surprisingly useful. Researchers have managed to create a fairly robust library of gestures, which means that the AquaTop Display can already be used to control basic computing functions and play a specially designed game that features a rubber ducky.

The AquaTop Display is more than just a novelty, though. The folks who invented the device did so in order to explore the interaction between technology and water. "The goal of the AquaTop Display," reads the Koike website, "was to remove the risk of electronics in a wet environment (smartphones in the bath) whilst innovating new techniques for interaction with challenging materials such as water."

According to the team, inspiration for the project came from the realization that commercialized bath salts could be used to create a milky cloud in a water basin. Once the salts have been added, the liquid works as a projection surface.

The project is already attracting a lot of international attention. The Koike team has shown the AquaTop Display at several Japanese Technology Expos, and the BBC covered the story this week. And even though I don't see a lot of real-world application for this kind of technology, it's definitely interesting.

Plus, I desperately need to play that rubber ducky game.

Source: AquaTop Display [http://sngymn.github.io/aquatopdisplay/]

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[Racecarlock]

That's cool, I guess, but why not invent something that can hook brains wirelessly to computers. Why not have an isolation tank hooked up to a computer and a god helmet to make lucid dreams the next generation of games?

 

[Lunar Templar]

that is awesome, little impractical but still very cool

 

[holyshaman]

holographic games is near but not the we espected

 

[martyrdrebel27]

Something about a joke involving the bathsalts being necessary to think of such wackiness. In all honesty though, with how wacky Japanese people already are, add bath salts and I can't imagine the hijinks that would ensue.

 

[Skeleon]

Quite awesome and probably the closest we'll get to 3-dimensional holo-technology style things in a while.
Which reminds me... just recently, I thought about how that would be physically possible to do, what with you needing something to reflect the projected light...? Maybe some type of fog-machine that provides a see-through barrier that the 3-dimensional "screen" could be projected against? And the fog, of course, would be the equivalent of the white powder they used here, in a sense.

 

[Quantum Glass]

That's cool, I guess, but why not invent something that can hook brains wirelessly to computers. Why not have an isolation tank hooked up to a computer and a god helmet to make lucid dreams the next generation of games?

Hey, go ahead. Nobody's stopping you.

"I don't know how to do that," you protest. "Even if I did, I don't have the money or resources," you explain.

You see the problem?

 

[Teoes]

I came in here ready to jest about chucking an Xbox/Kinect in the bath, watched the video and will now leave astounded. Thank you.

 

[Jessta]

That's cool, I guess, but why not invent something that can hook brains wirelessly to computers. Why not have an isolation tank hooked up to a computer and a god helmet to make lucid dreams the next generation of games?

Mostly because there is some pretty big troubles with getting any sort of accuracy with neurological interfaces that doesn't involve invasive surgery.
At least that's what I've understood from looking up on the subject I'm not like an inventor or anything.

 

[Strazdas]

Notice how the only thing they show "erasing" is windows icon and everything else has nothing to do with windows?

That's cool, I guess, but why not invent something that can hook brains wirelessly to computers. Why not have an isolation tank hooked up to a computer and a god helmet to make lucid dreams the next generation of games?

they are working on it. they can now trasnfer simple thoughts, like "click now" or "move hand up" to another person. its only a matter of time.