When I first wrote an article on Hitachi’s waterscape, I defined the device as a “study for new, more intuitive ways of accessing data in electronic devices”, also pointing out that the technology could also be useful for playing interactive videogames. Now, it seems that other major companies are making noticeable movements in this direction.
Sony: Otoizm
http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/
(if someone finds the source webpage, please let me know and I´ll change the link)
a character inside will start growing according to the genre of music you listen to.(…) meet up with a friend who also owns an Otoizm and the two will have a dancing session.
Philips: Momento
http://www.newscenter.philips.com/about/news/section-13674/article-15114.html
simply shake the glass ball and the movement is detected through in-built sensors prompting the existing clip to dissolve and another one to appear in its place.
Hitachi: Waterscape
http://hhil.hitachi.co.jp/products/waterscape-e.html
By operating the terminal with simple tilting and shaking gestures, contents such as movies and music can be enjoyed.
Hitachi and Philips’ descriptions for their concept “data terminals” coincide almost word by word. Sony’s otoizm, a tamagotchi-like handheld electronic game, shares the same round design, although it is interactive in a different way: you “feed” a virtual pet with sound, or watch it dance with a fellow pet located nearby, giving the device a sort of modular behaviour. Speaking of modular behaviour, the cube world modules are not precisely round, but they are virtual pets which interact with each other and also with you, especially if you shake the container…
note: the Waterscape and the Momento are concept designs, and the Otoizm has yet to be commercialized.
Related Article: Shake that waterscape
Related Article: Throw your SatuGO!
Related Article: Modular behaviours: cube world&cubees