Under Development: Touchable Holograms

We're another step closer to Star Trek's Holodeck.

A research team from Tokyo University are developing a system that promises "touchable" 3D interfaces that adds "a sensation of touch to holograms". The system detects the orientation and placement of the user's hands, and uses ultrasonic wave generators to simulate pressure on the skin.

The project has used off-the-shelf the components like Nintendo's Wiimote, and has already made an appearance at the last SIGGRAPH, an annual computer graphics conference. It only works with simple objects, with software affecting the behavior of these virtual items as they "touch" or "hit" the user.

That's still a long way from Star Trek's holodeck, a science-fiction dream where actual physical surfaces are simulated through matter manipulation to come into contact with the operator. Yet the research team isn't aiming for a complete environmental simulation. "In hospitals, there can be contamination between people due to objects that are touched communally. But if you [use] a virtual switch, then you no longer have to worry about touch contamination."

Clearly, the Tokyo University team see the system as an improvement over current touch-screens. They also support dynamic interfaces, but for a more realistic-feeling end-product. Check out a video of the system in action here.