Motion and gesture control, the Kinect and PS Eye, and the Oculus Rift have all joined forces to create a tech industry capable of a new level of immersion. Despite the sophistication of new inputs and displays, the industry is still lagging behind in one area of immersion: feel. With a new device, Disney Research aims to add tactile feedback to our gaming experiences with something that?s much more than another vibrating controller.
Called?Aireal ? the pun, and a name that sounds very similar to that of one of Disney?s most prized characters, is not lost on us ? the device creates tactile feedback in what is being referred to as the ?free air.? Every Disney theme park has attractions that are shows instead of rides. A large portion of these shows are ?interactive,? but in the way where it interacts with you while you passively sit there and get poked, blasted, and hit by things ? like tubs of confetti, streams of water, or even a little prod that sticks your lower back to simulate a bee sting.
Some of these attractions employ the use of blasts of air ? not just directly to your body, but used to create certain sensations. During one point in the 3D Honey, I Shrunk the Audience in Epcot, the show simulates mice breaking loose and running throughout the auditorium. In order to simulate the sensation of a pack of escaped mice, air is pumped through a little plastic tube causing it to wildly flail and mimic the sensation of mice tails brushing your legs. Though simple, Disney has been in the business of creating tactile sensation with simple air rigs for quite some time.
Aireal?dispenses with the thin tube being pumped full of air, but ultimately provides a similar sensation ? air targeted to pinpoint locations, creating the sensation of feel at those locations.
Aireal?will appear at SIGGRAPH 2013, along with the other projects seen in the above video. We also see a quick demonstration of someone using Kinect to knock digital soccer balls away from what seemed to be a simulated goal ? as each ball flies at the goalie, air is blasted from Disney Research?s device in the direction it is flying. The device can not only track the user with the help of Kinect, but shoots out the air in a vortex, which is a shape that is able to travel longer distances (than other air-blast shapes) and keep the majority of its force throughout its travel.
One thing I?d like to see as the product develops is how forceful the vortex of air will actually be. The vortex losing force over distance isn?t the only factor Disney Research needs to take into account, as thickness of clothing should mitigate the force of impact. If it?s cold and you?re wearing a sweater over a t-shirt, will you even notice the blast? Will?Aireal be a strictly shirtless affair, making it the ultimate college party game device?
Unfortunately, there are no details as to whether or not?Aireal will hit the market, but Disney Research says the device is not only scalable, but inexpensive, which are certainly two qualities a technology should have before being designed for consumers.
Now read:?Disney Touch? turns everyday objects into multi-touch, gesture-recognizing interfaces
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