Wow this is pretty awesome.  Most people i.e. lets say over 1 billion type on a keyboard whether on their computer or smartphone and what comes out is text, video or pictures.  Email, SMS, social media updates are traveling around the globe in ways never possible which in and of itself is awesome.  Now this inventor from MIT has created a keyboard like system that actually can be shaped with light and outputs physical changes on the receiving end.

Ok here is the awesome video.  What would you do with an interactive physical keyboard (if that’s what you even call this?)  Would you play chess or checkers through a physical/virtual board or something else?  The uses seem infinite.

Here are some things the guys in the video are experementing with:

• Math Education through 3d surface graphs.  Visualising mathematics in this way could change learning for the better.

• 3D Modeling through shape menus.  Instead of just Autocad or SketchUp imagine an actual 3d model in front of you

• Object Motion.  The guy has his iPhone float over to him when it rings.  That’s pretty cool but remember this is only the beginning.  What if people could save time and resources by having things come to them as Shape Menus get more advanced.  Ever lose your keys or remote control?  Well that may be a thing of the past 🙂

Here is a cool picture from the MIT campus where this tech was filmed

Some of the comments are very enthusiastic on this video thread.  Some people see great potential with this type of technology, and view this as a first iteration or pre-prototype.

Commenter GG had this to say:

this is revolutionary technology, you guys just aren’t creative enough to think of the possibilities

Commenter H. Smith had these ideas after watching:

You could make some beautiful artwork pieces with that . Or plug them into speakers and have it bounce up and down the the sound waves

What types of applications do you think this type of tech could be used for in the future?  Possibly communications or advanced computer monitors?  Or even some type of advanced 3d modeling for collaborative design and art projects?

Feel free to comment with your ideas!