Let’s face the reality that computers can sometimes feel like a torturous ordeal. Even after you’ve successfully installed all the programs and activated them, your computer can still leave you tearing your hair out in frustration.
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Source: Gizmodo |
Manufacturers are tirelessly researching ways to make computers more user-friendly, and the introduction of hard drives resembling Lego toys is a groundbreaking first step.
One of the many intriguing ideas is the “touch” personal computer. This research project aims to enhance interaction between humans and computers. Its ultimate goal is to determine whether it is possible for a computer to understand the feelings of its users, thereby meeting their needs effectively.
Dr. Jorg Voskamp from the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering, the project’s lead, stated, “People can see my emotional nuances and somewhat guess my mood. However, computers cannot do that, resulting in a communication gap between humans and machines.”
The system developed by Dr. Voskamp includes tiny sensors embedded in a wool glove. These sensors measure your body temperature, skin conductivity (in case you’re sweating profusely), and even blood pressure. When a user plays a game, the computer closely monitors and “interprets” how they react during gameplay. In other words, they are striving to program computers with the ability to recognize their owner’s emotions.
“Throughout the testing phase, we continuously displayed pop-up windows asking users, What is your current mood? Are you surprised? Happy? Or angry? Something along those lines“, Voskamp revealed.
According to him, the potential applications of this technology span remote education, gaming, and even healthcare. A touch system could alert you that a colleague is experiencing significant stress, allowing for timely intervention to prevent any unpleasant issues before they arise.
A New Sound
The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering is also known for inventing MP3, the most widely used audio compression technology today. Therefore, it’s no surprise that many ears perked up upon hearing that the next audio technology being developed by Fraunhofer is Iosono.
“This is a new technology that provides true 3D surround sound, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in music’s depths“, stated Dr. Karlheinz Brandenburg.
When comparing current 3D sound to Iosono, it’s like comparing mono to stereo. A whole new auditory world will open up to your ears with a speaker system surrounding the room.
Currently, Iosono technology has been implemented in some virtual reality environments. In the near future, it will be deployed in cinemas, with the ultimate destination being home entertainment systems.
“At this point, the cost is still very high. However, Iosono has the potential to revolutionize every aspect of human musical experience“, Brandenburg predicted.
The principle behind Iosono technology is the synthesis of wave fields. Instead of using a few pairs of speakers to produce “raw” sound, Iosono employs as many as 192 tiny speakers. Each of these speakers reacts independently to signals sent from the computer, creating multidimensional, deep, and rich sound.
With all these promising technologies, the future world of computing will be visually stunning, emotionally intelligent, and musically captivating.
Thien Yi
