We had the opportunity to attend SIGGRAPH 2011, Vancouver this past week and were really happy with what we saw. It takes a certain level of innovation to excite us at this stage of the game but the exhibitors this year definitely did not disappoint. The video above is a compilation of just some of the things we got to see in the Emerging Technologies section of the event.

Since it is not entirely clear what the functions of everything in the video is, I will do my best to explain each briefly in order here:
(please keep in mind that some of these names are not official)

Face-to-Avatar: A blimp that houses a projector, microphone, and camera for new age telepresence applications. It can display either a static image or a stream being sent to its on board wireless receiver.
Cyclone Display: A display that spins disks with different patterns on them. The speed of the disk, along with the speed that the projector is flickering at, determines what colors you will see. Essentially each disk is a sort of pixel.
ISCAN3D: A 3D scanner for your iPhone that works in a few minutes on just input from 5-30 pictures.
InteractiveTop: A twist on the game of tops with graphics and sounds galore. It tracks the collisions and features a magnetic controller for each top too.
Mommy Tummy: A strap on tummy that is used to simulate both the joys and stresses of pregnancy.
Recompose: Actuated Surface: A series of actuators that can be controlled using gestures as well as direct manipulation.
Vection Field: A device that can influence pedestrians to walk in a certain direction by displaying a certain dynamic pattern.
Toucheo: An immersive multi-touch workstation that can be used to easily manipulate 3D assets.
Telenoid: A telepresence robot that can transmit voice and facial movements and is neither male nor female, young nor old.
Virtual Crepe Maker: A haptic representation of fluid dynamics that has been made fun by the crepe making game.
True 3D Display: A 3D display that uses laser-plasma technology to output a virtual object with the amazing resolution of 50,000 points per second. (A part broke in transit and they only were able to operate it at half of its capability.
Thermal Interactive Media: A display that senses the temperature of its input and reacts accordingly.
PocoPoco: A new age musical interface and sequencer with 16 solenoids that are loaded with sensors.
HAPMAP: A sort of haptic navigation in which the user holds a device in their hand which simulates the feeling of sliding your hand along a railing. The “rail” is on a pivoting actuator so that it can steer the user in the right direction.

A little while ago, we and our friends at Techzulu were able to sit down with Robodynamics, a Santa-Monica based telepresence robotics company and get an in-depth look at their new project, LUNA. Since ‘her’ official introduction in early May in blogs like Engadget, Crunchgear, Gizmodo, etc. there’s been plenty of buzz about the world’s first consumer-friendly home robot. (Also posted on Techzulu)

Check out the interview with Fred Nikgohar, CEO of Robodynamics as he talks about upgraded features on the unit over past models and a little of Robodynamics’ vision for where they see LUNA fitting in the future of personal robots. Also, check out some of the pictures we snuck during the photoshoot!

ImTech: We’re back with the CEO of Robodynamics, Fred Nikgohar. He rocked the summit with his robot TiLR, but now there’s a new star present called “Luna”.

Fred: She’s taller [Laughs].

ImTech: Yup, definitely taller, looks a lot slicker. Can you tell us a little about it?

Fred: So, LUNA is the world’s first personal robot. Really what that means is it’s a platform for people to create (inaudible) robots that can live and work with humans. There have been a lot of robots for the last 30 years, but there really hasn’t been until today with a robot like LUNA that you have three things simultaneously on the same platform: A tall-human sized robot to interact with humans, has a certain type of look for emotional engagement so you’re willing to live with it in your home or office, and is able to be programmed similar to an iPhone or a PC as opposed to robots today that you would need three phD’s in robotics just to get your way through.

ImTech: So from what I understand, so not to compare this to TiLR the predecessor as it would be apples to oranges, this is no longer just a telepresence robot, I mean, this is your personal robot correct?

Fred: Correct. It’s really an apples to oranges comparison in that TiLR was a single utility robot that did telepresence very well and that’s our pedigree as a company. So with LUNA you’ll be able to download different telepresence applications available right out of the box through the app store. But what’s unique about this robot is that it has an app store; this means that there’s a unified way to program for it and distribute these programs. One-click installs will make it super easy for the users to make it do all the things that she doesn’t necessarily do today, but will do 2-3 years down the line.

ImTech: So that naturally leads to the question of development and content. Will this be available to the public with open source, or will there at least be a developer kit?

Fred: Yeah, so first of all, so she’s open source every which way, not just software. Software-wise it has a Linux stack and a ROS system, but we take ROS to a whole new level, meaning, we’re doing two things with that. We’re making it a lot easier for programmers to program and for consumers we’re making it a lot easier to use with a PC or a smartphone where you can easily install applications.

ImTech: Could you show some new features? There appears to be a lot of slots and ports to connect to other devices.

Fred: When we say apps we really mean software and/or hardware. For example, these arms, if you come up with a better arm design and wanted stronger more articulated arms you just pull these out and behind them there are what we call Luna Expansion Ports (LXP). Which not only give you communication with standard USB stack but gives you power directly through the power supply, so you’re no longer limited by the power the USB provides. There are eight LXP ports throughout the body of the unit. You can use any of these ports to extend these (hardware and software) apps.

ImTech: The port down there looks great for a 3D camera!

Fred: So one of the things that has been lacking in robotics is an inexpensive and reliable way to do 3D mapping. With something like a Kinect sensor which you can buy for something like a hundred and fifty dollars, you can use an affordable robot like this combined with an affordable sensor and take it to the next level.

ImTech: So the face if you will of the robot seems to be a great platform for creativity if you want to see an animation or someone’s face.

Fred: Yeah, we have these things called personality packs, which when you think about your cell phone when the batteries are running low you’ll see a red icon. Whereas with LUNA’s face you might see an animation of a robot licking her lips to say that she’s hungry. So these events and responses to stimuli that you can install animation packs for puts it one step closer to having a personality.

ImTech: Awesome, so with the aesthetics, it’s much less raw than TiLR, much more feminine in the looks, which is nice.

Fred: We like to joke that this is the first girl robot that we’ve made. She’s definitely feminine, we designed her aptly. But more importantly, I’m not aware of any robots out there in any class outside of toys that have such a refined look, and that was one of the three goals of creating LUNA and how we define a personal robot. Not only did it have to use standard technology to make it easier for developers, not only does it have to be affordable, but it also has to resonate with the consumer on an emotional level. This is something you have to be willing to live with in your home.

ImTech: Sure, now naturally, that leads to interface. How do you interact with and control LUNA? Voice control? Computer? Laptop? Cell phone?

Fred: That’s a great question. There’s no single way. There are a lot of different sensors, but you also have things like Wifi. There’s a reasonably beefy PC in there that runs Linux. Whether you’re making an application that runs through a smart phone or the web, or some autonomous application that runs locally through the robot such as with camera, sensors, voice.

ImTech: Sounds awesome. And of course, it will be web connected and accessible pretty much everywhere.

Fred: Right. Our pedigree is in telepresence, so it means that you have a robot and a client device (i.e a smart phone or a laptop on the other end controlling the robot). So we’ve become fairly good at that in the last seven years, but as we were building this we realized that people would be hacking this for sure, so we said why not just build a robot that doesn’t need to be hacked but can be developed for in a methodical systemic way. And if you do that, there’s a uniform way for the customer to have a simple experience of one click installation.

ImTech: Sure. So we know that this will be the star girl at all the games and parties to bring me a beer or a drink, and it gets all these features, but now, as for price point, I hear this will be revolutionary as well.

Fred: Really, the biggest innovation with LUNA is not so much the technology that we’ve been developing for seven years but that you can buy this for the average price of a laptop. We’re not releasing pricing as of yet but suffice to say, by 3rd generation we’ll be looking at about $1,000. If you can afford a good tablet or computer, you should be able to afford one of these.

ImTech: Cool. Definitely a consumer product, not just for the labs. We look forward to further updates. Thank you very much Fred!

Where were you on October 21st, 2010? Listen to Fred Nikgohar, an experienced hands on CEO with a wide range of experience from real estate finance to consumer electronics to robotics and automation, talk about Robots in Enterprise Space at the 2010 ImmersiveTech Summit! Fred is the Founder of RoboDynamics, a Robotic Telepresence (RTP) company, RoboDynamics enable remote workers to enjoy the immersive experience of being at the office without physically being there by using a robot as an avatar.

For more news and videos on immersive technologies visit : immersivetech.org

Follow us on Twitter: @immersivetechla

This video is copyrighted by ImmersiveTech: immersivetech.org

In a first-of-its-kind experiment, the brain activity of a monkey has been used to control the real-time walking patterns of a robot halfway around the world, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center. The Duke team is working with the Computational Brain Project of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) on technology they hope will one day help those with paralysis regain the ability to walk.

Beyond the immediate intended role of helping those with paralysis, there are also applications of space travel and having robots working in hazardous environments. Imagine being able to walk on other planets without having to physically be there. Technology like this is paving the way for such fantasies to becoming reality.

For more news and videos on immersive technologies visit : www.immersivetech.org

Follow us on Twitter: @immersivetechla

This video is copyrighted by Duke University: www.dukemednews.duke.edu

Yup, that’s a robot! Seems that most couldn’t tell in the first 20-30 seconds! As modern advancements progresses it will become increasingly harder to differentiate between what is human and what is not. Think of all the potential application!

The world’s first ever Immersive Technology Summit was held at the Los Angeles Center Studios (LACS) on October 21st, 2010.

For more news and videos on immersive technologies visit : www.immersivetech.org

Follow us on Twitter: @immersivetechla

For more information please read [in Japanese]: http://robo-times.com/evn/rep/2010/10/evn-rep101026a.html

Listen while, ImmersiveTech Chief Strategic Officer, Harold Tan at Opportunity Green 2010 explains how immersive technology relates to sustainability at the Los Angeles Center Studio. Be sure to see ImmersiveTech there again at the upcoming Immersive Technology Summit on October 21st, 2010 at the Los Angeles Center Studios.

The world’s first ever Immersive Technology Summit will be held at the Los Angeles Center Studios (LACS) on October 21st, 2010.

For more news and videos on immersive technologies visit : www.immersivetech.org

Follow us on Twitter: @immersivetechla

NEILab and the DIS Robotics Laboratory in Italy has a subject uses a BCI to navigate a the Sony AIBO robotic dog along a path to its “bone.” The subject modulates two independent features of his/her sensorimotor rhythms. Obstacle avoidance integrated in the AIBO allows the subject to focus on the high-level navigation task only.

The BCI system shown in this video is BCI2000. BCI2000 is a general-purpose system for brain-computer interface (BCI) research. It can also be used for data acquisition, stimulus presentation, and brain monitoring applications. The mission of the BCI2000 project is to facilitate research and applications in these areas. Definitely a system to consider acquiring and running experiments with if one is interested in exploring this field of research.

The world’s first ever Immersive Technology Summit will be held at the Los Angeles Center Studios (LACS) on October 21st, 2010.

For more news and videos on immersive technologies visit : www.immersivetech.org

Follow us on Twitter: @immersivetechla

This video is copyrighted by NEILab and BCI2000: www.aspice.it and www.bci2000.org

Support Us! : http://www.createthematrix.com

Have you ever wanted to step onto the moon, step into a video game, or just step out of reality? Do movie concepts like The Matrix’s artificial world, Star Trek’s Holodeck, or Inception’s lucid dreaming intrigue you? If so, here’s an opportunity to become part of a paradigm-shift that will change the world.

With your help, we will install an immersive environment that is publically accessible for people to create and experience a new kind of movie theater – one with surround sound AND surround view (360° visual immersion). James Cameron’s Avatar was a great movie with beautiful landscapes, but imagine actually being on the planet of Pandora! You will be able to experience that and much more.

The world’s first ever Immersive Technology Summit will be held at the Los Angeles Center Studios (LACS) on October 21st, 2010.

For more news and videos on immersive technologies visit : www.immersivetech.org

Follow us on Twitter: @immersivetechla

What is this project?

We are creating a simulation system that used to just be science fiction. Our goal is to provide the ability to create digital simulations that, as far as your brain can tell, is indistinguishable from physical reality. We essentially want to provide people the ability to lucid dream in a waking state Current virtual worlds provide people the ability to live out alternate realities, but unfortunately the interaction is limited to controlling an avatar through a flat 2D screen and a keyboard and mouse … NOT very immersive By creating a new, immersive platform, people can actually step INTO the virtual world and BECOME their avatar.

The simulation system will allow you to see virtual worlds in a 3D 360° first person perspective, allowing you to exist IN IT rather than watching it as a spectator. This system requires three key components:

1. Stereoscopic Head Mounted Display (HMD) Vision plays a large role in how we perceive reality. As display resolutions increase, one day the images will be so HD that our brain cannot perceive the difference between a physical and digital image. A HMD encapsulates our field of vision and simulates the visual experience. The more funding we receive, the higher res an HMD we can incorporate.

2. Motion Tracking Sensors To provide a full 360° visual experience, the system will need to know the position, direction, and tilt of your head. Motion trackers allow the system to capture your movements and provide a realistic, immersive experience. The more funding we receive, the smoother the tracking can be, allowing for higher-speed interaction.

3. Python Software Platform We want to open up the system to allow people to create environments and experiences. Python is the architectural language of the simulator, and will allow all the crazy coders to program some AMAZING applications. Imagine being able to share and download your digital experiences – you could time travel back to ancient Rome or see what it’s like to walk around on Mars. With all the creative talent out there, we’re sure people will create things we can’t even imagine yet.

Successful funding of this project will allow us to assemble all these components and turn it into the WORLD’S FIRST publically accessible hackerspace for immersive experiences.

Why are you doing this?

Ultimately, we want to change the world. We want to create a new method of communication, a new way to interact with digital environments, and a new medium for artists to convey the imagination inside of their minds. We want to give people the freedom to alter their reality and a fulcrum to explore their creativity. We want to create the Matrix/Holodeck and spur innovation in the industry of immersive technology.

We need your support! Help us form a groundbreaking community that will ultimately change the way people live. All of your pledges will be invested into the cost of a basic HMD, simple motion tracking technology, and programming of various virtual experiences. Additional funds will allow us to acquire higher end systems that offer even more immersive experiences (higher res displays, faster tracking, and even haptics for tactile feedback…)

What is Immersive Technology?

The term “immersive technology” refers to technology that blurs, if not erases, the line of distinction between the finite physical world and the infinite digital world. Examples of immersive technologies are 3D displays, holograms, surround sound, 360° dome environments, virtual worlds, brain-computer interfaces, gesture-control interfaces, artificial intelligence, and digital overlays (augmented reality).

By stimulating our perception of the 5 senses – sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell – immersive technology can recreate physical experiences through a digital medium. This digital medium can be altered as desired to create extraordinary experiences.

Who are we?

We’re the founders of Immersive Tech (ImTech), a non-profit think tank created to promote the development and adoption of immersive technology for the benefit of advancing fields in public interest, such as education, health, arts and entertainment.

We host an annual Immersive Technology Summit. This year it will be at the Los Angeles Center Studios on October 21st. The summit organizes a community that bring together technologists, visionaries, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and industry leaders in various fields of immersive technology.

This year’s summit will feature groundbreaking speakers, a 360° fulldome installation (think planetarium style), exhibitors demonstrating cool new technology, and with your support, this simulation system!

Spread the word, help us be heard!

Harold, Kevin, & Nathan

This video is copyrighted by ImmersiveTech: www.immersivetech.org

Robotic Telepresence is the ability to transport yourself to a remote location without going there. It is similar to video conferencing but whereas video conferencing gives you only a small window into the remote world, Robotic Telepresence gives you a presence, instantly transporting you there and enabling you to move around, look about, and interact with people, objects, and the environment as if you are actually there.

RoboDynamics’s robot, named TiLR (pronounced “Tie-Ler”) is the first commercial enterprise Robotic Telepresence platform. This video is a demonstration of RoboDynamics’s Rocketship 2 application protocol that allows remote control of TiLR from a flash-enable handheld device. In this instance Nathan Makino, CEO of ImmersiveTech, demonstrates Rocketship 2 on an HTC Evo running the Google Android platform on telepresence robot, TiLR, that Fred Nikgohar, CEO of RoboDynamics, created.

TiLR was the life of the afterparty at Opportunity Green 2010, a Green Business Conference on sustainability, as it approached unsuspecting guests who quickly welcomed TiLR into their group, waving and talking to him, and even asking to have their pictures taken *with* him! Imagine, teleprescence at an afterparty! This is just one example of an element of immersive technology in everday practical use. ImmersiveTech will showcase even more exciting areas of immersive technology at the up coming Summit.

The world’s first ever Immersive Technology Summit will be held at the Los Angeles Center Studios (LACS) on October 21st, 2010.

For more news and videos on immersive technologies visit : www.immersivetech.org

Follow us on Twitter: @immersivetechla

This video is copyrighted by RoboDynamics & ImmersiveTech: www.robodynamics.com & www.immersivetech.org

Boston Dynamics builds advanced robots with remarkable behavior: mobility, agility, dexterity and speed. They use sensor-based controls and computation to unlock the capabilities of complex mechanisms. Their world-class development teams take projects from initial concept to proof-of-principle prototyping to build-test-build engineering, to field testing and low-rate production. Organizations worldwide, from DARPA, the US Army, Navy and Marine Corps to Sony Corporation turn to Boston Dynamics for advice and for help creating the most advanced robots on Earth.

This video is a demonstration of their “Big Dog” navigating and traversing through different kind of conditions. Really check out the part where they shove the Big Dog in trying to knock it over. Many of use take for granted our ability to walk and recover from tripping. The amount of dynamic stability calculations is intense but from this demo we can see that we are getting better and better at emulating that natural human and animal ability. Take a look, this will give all future humanoid robots a more natural way of navigating it’s environment.

The world’s first ever Immersive Technology Summit will be held at the Los Angeles Center Studios (LACS) on October 21st, 2010.

For more news and videos on immersive technologies visit : www.immersivetech.org

Follow us on Twitter: @immersivetechla

This video is copyrighted by Boston Dynamics: www.bostondynamics.com