Virtual reality can reproduce all kinds of objects and scenes, but if there’s one detail we all secretly want, it’s some kind of physical feedback. Several companies have decided to create “specific solutions” tailored to each application; however, the people at MIT have spent years working on a much broader alternative. Their new project is Materiable, a physical interface capable of simulating virtual objects on a dynamic surface, with a highly interactive component.
From inFORM to Materiable
Some of our readers may remember the inFORM project, an interactive table that could create 3D objects through a complex series of actuators and linkages. This project was led by the Tangible Media Group at MIT, and although more than two years have passed since the original announcement, nobody sat idle. The arrival of virtual reality only increased the potential of this technology, because instead of imitating real objects placed on a sensor, it is now possible to take the general parameters of a virtual object and create a simulation on the interactive surface. In other words, the evolution of inFORM is called Materiable.
How Materiable Works
Materiable is made up of a total of 576 blocks arranged in a 24 by 24 format. Each of these “physical pixels” provides tactile (or haptic, if you prefer) feedback, and the colors are generated by a projector at the top. One of the most positive aspects of Materiable is that it can not only “reproduce” objects, but also their main properties. For example, if the user is touching something equivalent to rubber or fabric, Materiable will present the corresponding resistance, while when simulating a liquid, the user gets a response with much less force and will create “waves” on the surface. As if that were not enough, Materiable allows the use of any part of the body. I assume nobody will place a foot on the interface (?), but if someone wants to “bury” their face in it, they can.
Future Possibilities
Other very interesting possibilities within Materiable’s reach include serving as a “screen” for mathematical models focused on earthquakes and avalanches, providing an efficient method for engineers and architects to modify future constructions “on the fly”, and of course, being applied in an educational environment. The next step for Materiable is to improve aspects such as speed, force, and resolution, leading to even more precise simulated objects.
