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Minority Report UI For The Military

Posted by Zonk on from the at-least-some-good-will-come-from-that-movie dept.

merryprankster writes "New Scientist is reporting that a 'Minority Report' style interface is being developed by defense company Raytheon. Users don a pair of reflective gloves and manipulate images projected on a panoramic screen. A mounted camera keeps track of hand movements and a computer interprets gestures. Raytheon has even employed John Underkoffler, the researcher who proposed the interface to the makers of the film. Now just wait till Billboards start scanning your iris."

11 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. Yes, but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    When will it carve wooden balls?

    1. Re:Yes, but by IronChefMorimoto · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'd be more interested in whose names will be on the balls...

      [soldier at facility] "Alert the president. We have a black ball. It's the Ayatollah. He'll want to handle this one personally. Get the spider hole team ready. We leave in 5. We'll stay for 5 too."

      [2nd solider] "Sir! We have another ball -- red. It appears that North Korea is tipping on its Axis of Evil."

      [1st soldier] "You can ignore that one. We always do. A nutjob with nukes isn't nearly as scary as these dictatorial types with oil."

      IronChefMorimoto

  2. BORING by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I thought it was going to be an interface consisting of three psychic kids in tanks making all your decisions before you. That would be much more useful.

    1. Re:BORING by John+Seminal · · Score: 5, Funny
      I thought it was going to be an interface consisting of three psychic kids in tanks making all your decisions before you. That would be much more useful.

      They would do a better job than Bush. Hell, three not-so-psychic kids would do a better job than Bush.

      --

      Rosco: "If brains were gunpowder, Enos couldn't blow his nose."

  3. More than a defence contractor by 9mm+Censor · · Score: 5, Informative

    Raytheon is more than a defence contractor. They make alot of commercial electronics, including alot of marine equipment such as radar and radios.

  4. Re:This looks like a great recipe for an accident by michaeldot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Then you better try the Apple solution: it will only come with one glove.

  5. Because it is exhausting by brunes69 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There is a reason none of these VR interfaces never go anywhere. The human body is not designed to hold it's arms suspended in mid-air for extende dperiods of time.

    Try it yourself - stick your hands in front of the monitor, a bit below level with your shoulders. Feel free to move them around as if you are "manipulating".

    Now, see how long you can hold them up there before your shoulders give out.

    Now compare that to how long you can use a keyboard and mouse in one session.

    It is not even in the same ballpark.

  6. Re:Where do the $5,000 toilet seats go? by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 5, Insightful
    This appears to be wasteful spending.

    Someone probably said the same thing about ARPANET.

    I wonder what congressional district the defense company is located in?

    Edward J. Markey (Ranking Democrat on the Telecommunications and Internet subcommittee)

    Raytheon is based in Waltham, Massachussetts, but they have offices everywhere. Canada, Japan, Oz...
    And they are Linux friendly.

    And where in the field will this be used?
    One use might be a virtual sand table. Not everything the military does is 'in the field'.

    Am I the only one who gets scared when I imagine what a room in the pentagon might look like, with Generals wearing special glasses, and moving projected data off walls?

    Probably.
    Generals don't move data. They direct Col's and Majors to do that.

  7. Re:pr0n by mboverload · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hard to watch porn when it keeps going up and down in the playlist.

  8. Re:This looks like a great recipe for an accident by AJWM · · Score: 5, Funny

    the Apple solution: it will only come with one glove.

    Correction: a mitten.

    --
    -- Alastair
  9. Re:pr0n by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    > Or.. *waves hand* this isn't teh pr0n you're looking for. err, I mean.. *waves* Hi boss! Yep, just checking these figures here, see? No problem.

    "Hi, slittle! Why the fuck are you masturbating to an Excel spreadsheet?"