With the availability of webcams and projectors, multitouch and interactive demos have become increasingly popular because they’re so easy. Students at the University of Tokyo took a new approach that uses lasers instead. They created Sticky Light, which uses mirrors, a laser, and a single photodetector. Unlike camera-tracking setups, this system requires no visual processing. The laser moves around and bumps into dark objects, sticking to them. It can follow drawings on the table or objects in space, such as shirt designs. They also created a few basic games and a demo that makes sounds based on the movement of the spots. Video of the project after the break.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9noMfsg486Y%5D
[via today and tomorrow]
i wonder what kind of galvo setup they’re using?
Very nice. Simple but elegant.
very cool
that sure isnt a lot of documentation for an educational institution… =[
isn’t this just what university research should not be like? it’s just results, results, i thought the important bit was how you got there.
like this it’s a nice toy, but i wanna see how they did it.
I’d like to see this done with different color lasers. that or maybe interaction between two different units.
something like a pacman scenario.
Real life Crayon Physics!
that would drive a cat nuts!
they have some docomentation reference down this page: http://www.k2.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/perception/SmartLaserTracking/
The term photodetector is very generic. What type of photodetector, does anyone know?
According to Wikipedia, a CCD is considered a type of photodetector as well.
needs more arduinos.
i just wanna know how to make this one.. can anyone help me..? please, i think i need to do this so i can present something new in our science investigatory projecf..
alexander prillo, wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of a science investigatory project? If the answer was presented to you, you would have the answer… just break it into known components, worn on those and then piece it together. If it doesn’t work right at first, keep working at it and it will soon enough.
work on those
um, i dunno.. but i’m trying, i just want to know how to do that. and i dunno what’s the materials.
and i just wanna make it cuz im curious..
freaking awesome.
Yes I want to make one but Id honestly buy one of these to. I imagine thinkgeek.net will pick them up if they become available.
More info here:
http://www.k2.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/fusion/LaserActiveTracking/index-e.html
The photodetector is just that, it measures the intensity of light reflected back from the laser and as such is able to read the light and dark areas. they mention this project is similar to a laser range finder with 3d capability and tracking algorithms.
seems they are using a nice (expensive) set of closed loop galvos.
maybe i’m missing something, but how do you track an object in a 2D plane with only a single photodetector?
i retract my previous comment, i didnt see the link right above me -_-
My cat demands one.
Light spins in a circle around its current location.
if part of the circle does not reflect back to the photodetector then the location is modified to moves away from the part of the circle where the light did not reflect.
Replace the 0.3mW laser with a 250mW laser
Thanks for that link Agent420, I saw this elsewhere already but with the same just-videos link which leaves people like us (hackaday visitors) frustrated.
However when you see the setup they use an awful lot of ready-made parts. it’s more artistic than technical talent I guess.
@anon then track the rims of craters on the moon?
Best cat toy ever.