The new MIT design allows you to "overlay" the interface on the objects of the real world

Smarter Objects is a MIT Media lab project, in which engineers are developing AR technology for interacting with real-world objects.

The Smarter Objects project explores a new way to interact with everyday objects. The system associates a virtual object with a physical one in order to provide a simple way to modify and behave this physical object, as well as to interact with other similar objects. As soon as a user directs a smartphone or tablet at an object, the augmented reality application recognizes it and provides an intuitive graphical interface for programming its behavior and interaction with other objects. Once it is programmed, it is possible to interact with the object using a simple interface consisting of buttons, twists, etc. Thus, Smarter Object combines the adaptability of digital objects with a simple physical interface.

But, as they say, it is better to see once than hear a hundred times.

At the conference on the human factor in computer systems , held in Paris, Valentine Hughes, responsible for the project, demonstrated what this technology is capable of. The presented system consists of a simple radio with a pair of "twists", an external speaker and a special application for the iPad. As soon as the radio enters the frame of the Ipad camera, the navigation screen around the physical controls is displayed on the tablet screen, providing a convenient interface for navigating the playlist. It is also possible to activate the external speaker by drawing a line between it and the radio with your finger. The speaker can just as easily be turned off by “cutting” the shown connection with your finger.


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In addition, a promotional video is available online, in which other potential Smarter Objects applications are displayed — for example, lighting or door lock control:



Honestly, in its current form, this technology looks unsuitable for everyday use, because requires the user to constantly keep in front of him a tablet or other mobile device, which, you see, is not very convenient. But, coupled with the notorious Google Glass, this can result in a truly revolutionary thing that will change our understanding of the physical interfaces.