As we get ready for SIGGRAPH 2006, I thought that I would put some of the recap that Noah Keating, our Lab associate (currently getting his Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media at USC) wrote about last year's conference. Later this month, he's going to start previewing some of the experiences that we'll be having at SIGGRAPH '06.
Here at Brand Experience Lab, we’re always excited when Siggraph rolls around, most specifically because of the emerging technologies exhibition. It’s our chance each year to take stock of the most cutting-edge tech developments from research labs and institutions the world over, and it gets our brains working overtime on how to best utilize these in crafting compelling and unique brand stories. Some of these technologies might be world changing, some might be merely “interesting,” but it’s up to us to figure out which and why. Here I will take stock of some of our favorites from this year’s emerging technologies exhibition.Color-Enhanced Emotion: This is a system that takes video input of someone’s face, uses an algorithm to detect the emotion that the person is expressing, and processes the video to better display that particular emotion on the subject’s face. Imagine walking through the candy bar aisle and seeing a picture of your own face expressing the satisfaction that a snicker’s bar might bring to you. You might consider the calorie hit a little more worth it at that point!
Straw-like User Interface: This ingenious device simulates the feeling of sucking various materials through a straw with the use of pressure differentials and vibrations. A user will place his or her mouth on the disposable straw applicator, choose a material to suck (beer, asparagus, beans, etc...) and pull on the straw until a sound, vibration and pressure release signify that the item has been pulled through. It really works! And quite well, at that – I could almost taste the asparagus as it popped through, or feel the beer suds in my mouth. This is a wonderful technology, and could definitely be used for the creation of some “sweet” multi-sensory experiences that haven’t yet been engaged.
Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation aka Remote Control Human: I don’t necessarily think this device should be used by anybody, let alone retail marketers, but it is very interesting nonetheless. Apparently by applying small amounts of current to the bone of the inner ear, the sense of balance can be controlled and manipulated, causing people to lean in certain directions without consciously noticing or deciding to do so. It’s a little disconcerting, slightly nauseating and not altogether pleasant, but as an experiment it’s extremely fascinating.
The Interactive Fog Screen: This is a fantastic invention – a walkthrough touchscreen! A thick bank of fog presents itself as a projection surface, but the addition of ultrasonic and finger tracking open up many interaction possibilities, like drawing, playing games and music, or exploring products. It seems pretty robust, and especially well suited to the retail environment, so we hope to be working with this technology as soon as we can get our hands on it!
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