We, humans, interact with the world using our five senses. But as the name suggests this technology brings forward an additional sixth sense. A sixth sense is an ESP(Extra Sensory Perception) that aims at a more developed future with both the physical and digital world connected without the help of hardware devices.
The sixth sense technology employs a sixth sense which is, in reality, a wearable pendant-like device. This device is actually a mini-projector coupled with a camera and a cell phone, designed for obeying hand gestures. Using simple hand gestures, touch screens can be obtained from any surface for various applications.
The origin of sixth sense technology can be traced back to Steve Mann who implemented a wearable computer in the form of a neck-projector coupled with a camera system in 1990. In later years, following his footsteps, Pranav Mistry, a young research scientist at MIT came up with new applications of this technology. Thus, the sixth sense technology was developed at Media labs at MIT and was coined as Wear Ur World (WUW).
The device has various applications such as the drawing application in which movement of the index finger is recognized and the user can draw on any surface. The other applications include mapping, reading newspaper, checking time by drawing a wristwatch, etc. Other than being portable, this device also serves as a computer and saves time spent searching for information.
Watch Pranav Mistry Talking about sixth sense on TED
Why choose sixth sense technology?
Humans take decisions after acquiring inputs from the senses. But the information we collect isn’t enough to result in the right decisions. But the information which could help make a good decision is largely available on the internet. Although the information can be gathered by connecting devices like computers and mobiles they are restricted to the screen and there is no direct interaction between the tangible physical world and the intangible digital world. This sixth sense technology provides us with the freedom of interacting with the digital world with hand gestures. This technology has a wide application in the field of artificial intelligence. This methodology can aid in the synthesis of bots that will be able to interact with humans.
Components of SixthSense Technology
The hardware components are coupled in a pendant like mobile wearable device.
- Camera
- Projector
- Mirror
- Mobile Component
- Color Markers
Working of Sixthsense Technology
The object in the view captured by the camera and sends it to webcam for processing.With the help of the markers, the gestures are identified. The software program analyses the video data caught by the camera and also track down the locations of the colored markers by utilizing single computer vision techniques.
The software recognizes 3 kinds of gestures:
- Multitouch gestures
- Freehand gestures
- Iconic gestures
Then the processed information is projected by the projector onto the mirror which in turn reflects it on the desired surface.
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