Thursday, July 15, 2010

The SixthSense

At TED, Pranav Mistry demonstrates developments in his work aptly termed as the "SixthSense." (TED is a "a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design.")

Mistry talks about the two worlds we live/operate in- the real world and the digital world. He makes us realize that in developing the digital world, we continually take what we're used to in the real world and translate it for the digital world to accept. The way we move in real life is decoded into an x and y axis for a computer mouse, for example. I guess when people say Macs are more "user-friendly," it really means that the operating system is closer to real life- things are done more intuitively, that is, in a language already known to us.

But what makes Mistry's "SixthSense" project mind-blowing is that he attempts to take the digital world into the real world. If all goes well with the project, taking a book from a shelf and flipping through its pages can actually play back a recording of the book, give a summary or a review, provide a write-up about the author, etc. Reading the newspaper will allow you to see the video recording of the front page's photo and actually hear transcribed speeches, give you live updates on the weather, etc. And even just by simply looking at your plane ticket, you'll know if your flight has been delayed. All this, without even having to open your laptop or smartphone. (Don't believe me? Check out his two-part video here.)

I've realized we've reached the tipping point wherein we are so familiar with the digital world that taking it into the physical world is actually possible. Welcome to the new real world.


-Leo Rafael L. Quesada, Entry #5

2 comments:

Pau Duman said...

This is the link that I have been looking for!!! Thank you so much! I was wanting to write about this too but I just can't find where I saved my links. Thanks thanks!

Leo Rafael L. Quesada said...

You're welcome! Spread the good news! Hehe! Oh and from what I remember, Mistry will make this innovation open-source. :)