24th December 2012

LuminAR Bulb turns any surface into a touch screen

A new computer being developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology can display interactive images on any surface, just by screwing into a light socket.

The team behind the device – led by student Natan Linder – aims to create "a new form factor for a compact and kinetic projected augmented reality interface."

LuminAR combines a laser pico-projector, camera and wireless computer, with software that can recognise objects and sense when a finger or hand is touching the surface. It also functions as a scanner with built-in wi-fi.

The project was developed through 2010, and demonstrated earlier this year at the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. The team has now released a video of its design evolution and potential commercial applications:

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