Jay-qu Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 A TV with no screen? Sounds crazy, but Chad Dyner at MIT's MediaLab thought of it and created the Heliodisplay a couple of years back. Made by IO2 Technology, the Heliodisplay actually forms floating 2D images in midair from regular video inputs — essentially a virtual 30-inch video screen. It's not holography; it works by affecting the properties of the ambient air above the "projector" (about the size of a desktop PC turned on its side). While the images can't actually be touched, the display can respond to the movement of your hand, making it a virtual touchscreen. SCI FI Tech | SCIFI.COM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerseun Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Awesome! Where do I line up for one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay-qu Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 I dont know.. I think it needs a little tweaking, but this is the stuff of sci-fi! Cant wait till its perfected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatstep Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Too bad the images are in slices = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerseun Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 They say it works by interfering with the air above it... so it should work better in a smoky room, no? Smoke 'em if you got 'em! ...is it actually real? I don't see how it'll work. :hihi: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay-qu Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 The site offers no insight.. apparently patent still pending - there is a cool little movie though :hihi: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigD Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 My guess is that it works by creating very thin streams of plasma, like the plasma lamps that were so popular in the 1980s. This device appears to be able to do in ordinary air, without the need for a glass globe containing a partial vacuum with traces of zenon, krypton, and neon, and produce not just a cool-looking interactive light show, but a TV image. The name (“Heliodisplay”) hints that it is, as the sun (Helios) is famous for its cool (I mean hot) plasma displays. I wonder if it feels hot and tingly to touch? I can’t imagine it will every be competitive with regular monitors, as the image appears to wave with the smallest air movement. I imagine if a strong draft from a heater/AC vent would blow it all over the place. An enclosure could fix that problem, but would defeat its novelty. A small one might be useful for things like handheld and heads-up displays in vehicles, where one needs an image to appear, but can’t tolerate any bulk or protuberances. Having one in the doorway of your dwelling to pop up “walk through” reminders like “don’t forget to take out the trash / bring home bread / etc.” is at the top of my list of useful applications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatstep Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 I wonder if it feels hot and tingly to touch? Probably not hot, since it can be used as a touch-screen monitor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.