Shape-Shifting Navigation Device Points You In the Right Direction 38
Zothecula writes: Developed by Yale engineer Adam Spiers, the Animotus is a wirelessly-connected, 3D printed cube that changes shape to help direct you like a haptic compass. Gizmag reports: " Spiers designed Animotus when he was involved in a performance of Flatland, an interactive play based on Edwin A. Abbott's 1884 story of a two-dimensional world. As part of the stage production, audience members – both sighted and visually impaired – were kept in complete darkness and walked four at a time though the performance space with narrative voice overs and sound effects telling the story as they wandered through. In their hands, each participant held an Animotus that guided them by changing shape to point them in the right direction. With a multi-sectioned body created in a 3D printer, that Animotus alters shape in response to wireless instructions to indicate the user’s position in their environment. To do this, the top half of the cube twists around to point users toward their next destination and then slides forward to give a relative indication of the distance to get there. As a result, rather than having to look at a device, such as the screen of a smartphone, the user was able to determine their path by touch."
Brilliant (Score:4, Funny)
Ooh ooh I just love the fact that it's "3D printed" and it uses the Interwebs, and I love the word "haptic". This hits three of my technological erogenous zones. And then there's the Ivy League tie-in, and the incredibly tenuous link to Flatland. This is just so wrapped up in "right now" that it deserves to be on Slashdot.
Other than that it's completely fucking stupid.
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This hits three of my technological erogenous zones.
The thing slides back and forth and twists, so it can be used on your actual erogenous zones too. /. so I'll add that with the right instructions, it can also help you find those erogenous zones...
I know this is
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Hi there, I am the creator of the device. I see you are a grumpy internet person who does not take the time to read things. Let me address your points:
1. "3D printed" - why is this in inverted commas? Yes it is 3D printed on research grade stratsys printers with high resolution and dissolvable support, this is my preferred fabrication platform for most of my research tools, it is not possible to fabricate many of the internal mechanism structures by conventional means while also replicating the device in sm
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"Other than that it's completely fucking stupid."
You are stupid. It's a WIFI-handjob-machine for nerds.
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Just imagine how it will feel once it crawls it's way to your penis-zone.
Given the choice (Score:4, Informative)
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Smash a window so you can escape from the interactive play?
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It might have been his name but it made me think of an agent who is acting covertly and wanting to follow exact directions without being obviously following a GPS device. I could see it being something that can be updated remotely so that they can direct someone and check to see if they have been followed. Then, if followed, they can direct them to another site entirely and go from there. I can think of a few generic military applications, if I really stretch, as well.
I am not sure which form these devices
"Shape-shifting"... (Score:5, Informative)
Not really what I think of when I hear "shape-shifting." A regular compass shape-shifts as much as this thing does. It just... moves.
Smart phone warble (Score:1)
I remember this walkers navigation app, did a warble to show the direction:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=13&v=fHvHFNUO_8s
You pulled it out of your pocket, angled it down, it makes a sort of warbling sound. Turn it, the tone changed pitch so you know where to head, put it back in your pocket and it stopped making a noise.
I quite liked that feature, sadly I haven't seen it on newer Android apps.
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Useful (Score:3)
Seems like this might be usable by blind people in an environment they don't already have memorized
Of all posts not to have a video... (Score:2)
...this has to be it?
Shape-shifting? (Score:2)
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If a Rubik's cube were motorized so it could rotate itself, then sure, I'd call it shape shifting. But in fact, a Rubik's cube is just a block of plastic that doesn't move unless you move it. Whether that's a good or bad thing is a matter of opinion. It probably depends how good you are at solving it. :)
This thing slides and rotates on its own, which is a pretty big difference.
So much... hate. (Score:2)
Despite all the negative posts this is actually cool... If you are a theater geek.
When I completed my theater degree in 2008 they used throwaway phones to as prop thinking that as long as the stage manager was the only one who had the number they would be ok. (COUGH COUGH). I still cringe when I see a production use video projection and not hide the splash screen... of the DVD player.
Here is a theater production that designed a custom device (albeit a dorky suit) to be an integral part of a theater experien
this sounds oddly familiar... (Score:1)
I wonder if this may have been the inspiration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fGujzulsas