Tag Archives: University of Tokyo

3D input interface brings Project Natal-style gestures to a cell phone

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have created an advanced motion-tracking camera that is designed to attach to a mobile device like a cell phone.  It allows for “in-air typing” or Project Natal-style gestures to type out text messages or emails by detecting finger movement.  The demo above shows how something like this could replace a physical and touch (virtual) keyboard on mobile devices.

[Via Ishikawa-Komuro Lab; Gizmodo]

Study: Moviegoers have synchronized blinks, miss up to 15 min. of footage

A recent study has gathered interesting findings of people’s blinking habits and when they blink during a movie.  Researchers at the University of Tokyo have found that “the flow of visual information to the brain is halted by up to 450 milliseconds with every blink, and we lose up to 6 seconds of information every minute.”  New Scientist relays this information in layman’s terms: “This means moviegoers who sit through a 150-minute film have their eyes shut for up to 15 minutes.”  It was also found that people tend to blink in unison during the same parts of a movie.  A researcher noted that “”This is the first study to demonstrate that blinks are excellently coordinated during video playback.”  After several tests, the researchers went on to conclude that these synchronized blinks occur during “non-critical” moments, so at the end of an action scene or as Gizmodo humorously noted, “whenever Megan Fox is off screen.”

[Via Gizmodo; New Scientist]