Engineers invent shape-changing fog screen
Scientists at the University of Sussex managed to combine for the first time shape-changing displays and fog screens and develop an entertainment experiences like no other. It’s called MistForm and it will be presented at CHI 2017, the world’s biggest conference on human-computer interaction, in Denver, USA.
MistForm is roughly the size of a 39-inch TV screen and is formed of fog stabilized by curtains of air. The screen can move towards and away from the user and can bend into numerous different shapes. For example, it can curve around two collaborators, providing optimum visibility for both people, or it can take on a triangular shape if those two people need to work on different areas of the screen independently.
The display is projected from above and motion trackers detect the user’s movements and intentions, allowing the display to adapt accordingly.
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The mid-air display allows users to reach through it and interact with 2D and 3D objects, all the while changing shape and position to optimize visibility, facilitate interaction or flexibly adapt to single or multiple users interacting with the floating content.
“With other 3D display technologies your eyes need to focus on the display surface, even if you see an object “popping out” of the screen. If you then try to touch it, your eyes will need to focus either on your hand or on the display, which soon can lead to eye fatigue (unless the 3D object and your hand are really close to the display surface). MistForm can adapt to these scenarios, moving the display surface so that both the object and the hand remain comfortably visible. With this kind of technique, we can provide comfortable direct hand 3D interaction in all the range your arms can reach,” Dr Diego Martinez Plasencia, a Lecturer in the Interact Lab at the University of Sussex’s School of Engineering and Informatics, said.
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