[m_ke]

Did anyone see actual demos of this thing in action? Meron came to my computer vision class this spring at CU and didn't have anything to show other than the CGI demo that has been up for over a year. The newer videos are also mostly just renderings and the only working examples that were posted are around 10 seconds long.

I wish them the best of luck but it seems to me like they're really overselling themselves.

[cf]

These guys had a booth at the Epson stage at SIGGRAPH this year. I tried it out from one the engineers. The unit could stand to be a bit lighter, and less dorky but it definitely works. They are very accessible and probably game to demo it if you visit their offices.

[mikemoka]

looks like they invited the reddit co-founder to test them actually:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv7nSng0yD8

[pud]

That video of the Reddit co-founder struggling to use the product & struggling to say something good about it made me cringe a little.

They should work on a better testimonial video.

[ehsanu1]

You make it sound worse than it is. Maybe it's just me, but he seemed to have some positive things to say during the actual demo. Just seems slightly staged at the end there is all. As for struggling to use the app, we don't all expect an early prototype + third-party app to have perfect usability.

Of course, this testimonial pales in comparison to, say, the Oculus Rift kickstarter video. But that product was further along at that point, and solving an easier problem.

Edit: Actually, I take that back. I didn't realize this was featured on their home page, which definitely should have a better testimonial. At least it reflects the reality of the tech at this point, setting the right expectations hopefully (in contrast to their main video).

[msutherl]

The real kicker is how deluded the founders are about their idea. The sculpting app, for instance, is an awful idea. Sculpting in air doesn't work – it's a fundamental limitation of the model – there's no tactile or force feedback – not something that will improve with the technology. Demoing with this app shows they don't understand the nature of the technology they're developing. I would give them a pass, but, later on in the video, the guy with the beard says "so you can imagine a surface on every wall, like Gmail, Facebook, or whatever". This not only unimaginative, but wrongheaded. A moments thought reveals that this idea makes no sense.

This video is brogrammer culture at its worst.

[jcrites]

There are technologies being developed to simulate a feeling of touch in the air: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/21/siggraph-disney-research-...

"AIREAL pumps out tight vortices of air to simulate tactility in three dimensional space. The idea is to give touchless experiences like motion control a form of physical interaction, offering the end user a more natural response through, well, touch."

It looks like Aireal can only create a pulsing sensation, which will still be insufficient for sculpting, and I imagine it is a weak sensation in the first place, but I am still interested to see how these technologies improve over time.

[nashequilibrium]

Are you saying that what i am seeing is a concept and not a created product? This looks really cool, i am actually considering buying one but maybe i should just wait for some reviews. Either way this is way better than disappearing photo's, congrats!

[ryderm]

Hey, I guess I was in your class. Nice so see people from CU on here : )

It is strange that they haven't done any real demos (that I've come across), but an awesome idea nonetheless. Hopefully they release something more substantive soon.

[viviantan]

I've seen actual demos and the product's been improving at lightning speed. Not quite as polished as the CG but I think the special effects are there to help people envision what can be done, since it's really difficult to articulate. It's early-stage but definitely well beyond mere concept. There's some solid talent on the team and I'm excited to see where they go with this.

[tekacs]

It seems like a good sign that Steve Mann is involved, even if it's unlikely they'll be willing to make the same compromises that he has historically done in order to get functional tech in exchange for comfort and style.