Sixth Sense Prototype, a Computer Around Your Neck

reported by Aggie Villanueva

The Sixth Sense prototype: a computer around your neck that works with the computer in your pocket, created by Pranav Mistry.

 The Sixth Sense is being hailed as the link between digital devices and our interactions with the physical world. It’s been ages since an invention has heralded this kind of excitement, trepidation and argument. See comments.

Would you believe a wearable device that gives you access to the information highway anywhere, and at all times, through natural surfaces and hand gestures.

Make the gesture for taking a picture and a camera takes a photo. Draw a watch on your wrist and the correct time appears there on your skin.  Pick up a book at the bookstore and find Amazon’s review of it right on the pages of the book. Watch a video projected onto the same story you’re reading in your newspaper. Sixth Sense even works with your cell phone. Punch the numbers projected onto your palm to make a phone call.

All this for only about $350.00

Pattie Maes’ newly founded Fluid Interfaces Group is aligned with MIT Media Lab and seeks to reconstruct the way we interact with computers. To Maes, the computer is no longer a distinct object, but a source of intelligence that’s embedded in our environment.  "We like to invent new disciplines or look at new problems, and invent bandwagons rather than jump on them." Pattie Maes, Digital Journal

See MIT’s Pattie Maes and Pranav Mistry demo the Sixth Sense for TED

Pranav Mistry is the young student at MIT who is responsible for the emerging Sixth Sense technology that I would venture to dub the Leonardo Da Vinci of the 21^st century.  He seems both genius and philosopher. “But is technology all about software and computers? Does putting a computer in every village in a country mean that all the problems of people are solved?...Technology to masses, but in a meaningful manner.”

“I think, just because we know how to make things doesn't guarantee that we know what those things will do to us or what kind of things we ought to make…. Knowing how to think about technology is a skill one needs to teach oneself the way we taught ourselves previous new ways of thinking, such as mathematics, logic, science and design. One needs to think like Leonardo did.” Pranav Mistry

More of Pranav’s thoughts.

About Pattie Maes.

About Pranav Mistry

About Sixth Sense

 

After viewing these videos and links, and reading some of Pranav’s thought, I would love to hear your own.