A while ago we reported the anniversary of the humble computer mouse and declared that it may be the one constant on which this ever changing world of computer technology relies; at the time however, we had no idea that the mouse may become the computer itself. The latest development in interactive computer interfaces has seen the creation of computerised smart blocks called ‘siftables’ at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Siftables are small cubes similar to children’s building bricks that have in-built screens, battery, accelerometer and memory, and boast the same computing power as a 1980s PC. Each block communicates with another through blue tooth technology and can be used independently or linked to a computer.
Initial trials have demonstrated basic applications such as word games, where the blocks show randomly chosen letters and the task is to generate a valid word, much like the game Boggle; but the potential is much greater, the blocks have also been used to compose music and even track the development of diseases. The blocks interact with one another through movement, so by simply moving the blocks around the user can solve puzzles or control commands. By programming each block with a different variable, it is possible to input information to a computer base and have the results relayed back through the smart blocks themselves.
Although the siftables are still quite a way off from becoming the standard fare of a computer user, their potential will probably see them become integrated in everyday computer use in the future. It is the ability to manipulate spatial information and the capacity to be used remotely where the strength of the blocks lie. As with all new computer applications and changes in software interaction, the blocks will initially be tested out on gamers, where there is apparently a greater willingness for experimentation.
If the siftables prove popular with game players, it won’t be long before we could be using these sci-fi style interfaces for personal computer applications wherever and whenever we want.
Related posts: