I want my Stark screens IRL already NOW STAT!!!

[yakalskovich]

That's the thing I mean -- you grab your data on these semi-transparent screens/holograms, manipulate it with your hands, visualise, correlate, pull closer or dismiss...

And no, that's not as utopically futuristic as it looks. Knowing what I do about the advances in Virtual Reality (many of which originate from the bleeding-edge high-tech engineering candyland area in and around Stuttgart that I mentioned), I dare say that we'll get them in five years. Siri already does quite a credible 0.5 version of JARVIS*.

Anyway, I was missing my (potential) Stark screens badly today when I was explaining some data base queries to my soon-to-be ex-boss, and instead of doing it visually and understandably the way Tony does in that picture, I was dividing myself between drawing Set Theory diagrams with pencil and marker(!!), on paper (!!!), alternating that with checking boxes with my computer mouse, on a dreary list -- which even produces more dreary SQL code in the background!!

I sort of whent 'Argh argh argh I want the VR screens from the future now!!!' at my boss, and told him, whatever he does with his business once I am gone ('Après moi, le déluge!'), he's not to ditch the VR related magazine we (soon: they!) have as that's where the future is going.

You know, there I was with my paper and pencil and knowing that that thing there is going to be possible soon -- a very special sort of geeky frustration and high-level first-world complaining...

*That there is so going into the next chapter of 'Bag Of Cats'!!

Comments

[jjprobert]

OMG, Yes! Those sorts of screens are so very, very much a WANT!

The problem seems to me, to be, how does the screen know when you want to manipulate something or when you want to move your 'cursor' across without adjusting the other bits you've already got in place?

[yakalskovich]

I guess it'll work a lot like a Kinect, just much more finely calibrated. You'll probably need to gently 'tap' an object to chose it, in order to manipulate it the way you want. If it's still screens, just transparent (as most of the screens on the helicarrier for example seem to be), it'll be even easier.

[jjprobert]

I'd certainly agree those transparent 'touchscreens' from the Helicarrier lab are viable and, indeed interesting enough.

The holographic projections (like the one in the pic) are an interesting problem of their own. And not currently one that is viable to my knowledge. I mean, we can do 3D holographics, as long as it is behind a plate, at the moment. But, pushing that towards someone, letting them interact with it? I'm not sure that's ever really viable, except by using something to project onto (like VR glasses, but that's a whole 'nother story).

[yakalskovich]

There just needs to be some minimum amount of steam in the air to project them on, does it? Or some other fine mist of particles.

[jjprobert]

Maybe.

But, think about how any smoke effects work, they still fluctuate and warp under optimal circumstances.

The moment you move your hand through smoke/whatever, it disrupts it, which would distort any image you're not taking with you, and maybe even one you are.

[yakalskovich]

Well, yes, that is a problem which would take some solving; but I don't think it's insurmountable. The particles would need to be evenly distributed, then the image wouldn't waver that much.

[jjprobert]

I'd agree it's not insurmountable, but the real problem is making the particles stay evenly distributed when you have multiple heat sources generating convection currents in the room, as well as higher density mobile objects moving around inside it.

To be frank, I think it is beyond us at the moment. Except for the VR glasses idea, where the projection can effectively be on the glasses, but appear to be elsewhere, courtesy of focusing magics!

[yakalskovich]

At this very moment, yes. But give those people in and around Stuttgart five years, and let's see what they come up with...

[jjprobert]

This is true.

Also consider to account for those fine fellows over in Silicon valley, as well as the Tech City in London. And plenty of other places I'm sure could be mentioned as well.

[yakalskovich]

Oh yes -- Shanghai, for example. They'll solve it somewhere.-

[jjprobert]

Just found this today: http://leapmotion.com/

[yakalskovich]

Thanks!!!

I actually found this the other day (just use Google!translate, I don't seem to get to translate parts of that as I thought I would...):

http://www.faz.net/aktuell/technik-motor/gestensteuerung-fass-mich-nicht-an-11788730.html

Even the graphics in the illustration totally look like the Stark Screen design with all that round data.

[jjprobert]

Hee, yes they do.

Now, time to get back to work on the 'hard light' project.

[yakalskovich]

Definitely. I mean, they're not researching in a vacuum. The result they need to get is right up there on the cinema screen...