It’s always neat for me to see how people envision inventions and innovations being used in the real world. Making cool stuff is cool and all but its more important to know that its purposeful “stuff”. What are its implications? MIT has recently put out a new way to display 3D shapes; they call it inFORM. The institute’s Tangible Media Group webpage describes inFORM as, “a Dynamic Shape Display that can render 3D content physically, so users can interact with digital information in a tangible way.” The design is complicated, but its applications and function seem endless.
When it comes down to it, MIT’s shape-shifting table is nothing new, regarding technology that is. This is perhaps one of the characteristics that makes inFORM so amazing. It is a supremely clever, innovative combination of existing technology. The use of the Kinect as a significant source of input was fascinating to me. Hooked up to the main computer are about 900 pins that make up the moving table-top itself. These are backed by cabling connecting the pins to actuators, or the motors that are moving each individual pin. (NOTE: this thing is expensive as each of these actuators costs between $20-$30 (2)). The shapes that the pins create is dependent on the input from the Kinect, from equations, or customized formulas. inFORM is visually focused, therefore i would say watching it work is the best way to understand it.
Touching more on the implications of inFORM, it goes in many directions. MIT’s Tangible Media Group is exploring the machines use in mapping, Geographic Information Systems, urban planning, and models of terrain and architectural nature. They believe that, “inFORM would allow 3D Modelers and Designers to prototype their 3D designs physically without 3D printing (at a low resolution)” (1). In addition, the research group foresees it also being used in a medical context. More everyday applications may include in video-conferencing and skype experiences.
Before inFORM gets to those simpler uses, I see it being used for in the bigger picture as in the first applications mentioned above. The cost will have to come down. Until it does, I think us individual citizens will still benefit from this inFORM, just more indirectly.
This is an awesome find even if a simple extension of existing technology. I am very curious to know why the physical model is more useful than the virtual model. I am trying to put together a brains scan study using a functional MRT