Images: Siggraph sharpens your senses

Projects from Siggraph 2006 show how our senses can be enhanced by technology. U-Tsu-Shi-O-Mi is a “Virtual humanoid you can reach.” In this display users experience shaking hands with a computer-generated avitar. \r\n\r\n

This is an early stage of a project designed to build humanoid robots that you can touch and talk to–allowing robots to enter the world of virtual reality. The long term goal is to, for example, allow someone to give graphics capabilities of a professional baseball player such as Ichiro a humanoid robot computer, and then play ball with it–or him. Project from: Michihiko Shoji, NTT DoCoMo

The “Shadow Chaser” is a game in which players must find invisible “goblins” through indirect information such as shadows and sounds. In this game, a player must capture the goblin with a special vacuum by following its shadow. The purpose of the project is to allow users to feel the existance of objects by perceptions–a demonstration for barrier-free services for handicapped people. Project from: Yoshinobu Nakano, Nara Institute of Science and Technology

The multi-touch wall is a 16-foot interactive display that can sense multiple points of touch by an unlimited number of people. The purpose of this research is to move beyond the mouse and make touchscreens more sensitive and fun. Project from: Jefferson Y. Han, New York University, Courant Institute of Mathematical Studies.

Want to take a walk with Lara Croft or Super Mario? These powered shoes are roller skates connected to motors which allow the wearer to walk through virtual environments–in any direction. They will be used for games or possibly as “evacuation simulators” to train people how to respond to emergencies. Project from: Hiroo Iwata, University of Tsukuba

Freqtric Drums can allow an audience to create music by touching different body parts: feet, foreheads, noses, etc. This project turns human skin into an interactive device–a feat claimed to have never been done before. Project from: Tetsuaki Baba, Kyushu University

A laser plasma is said to be the first to display “true 3D images in a space where there is nothing but air.” Project from: Hidei Kimura,\r\nBurton Inc.