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3D Animations In Mid-Air Using Plasma Balls

Posted by kdawson on from the what's-that-crackling-sound dept.

An anonymous reader clues us to research at Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology that has produced the ability to make animations by creating small plasma balls in mid-air. The technology doesn't use vapor or strange gases, just lasers to heat up oxygen and nitrogen molecules above the device: up to 1,000 brilliant dots per second, which makes smooth motion possible. When the tech improves it could be used for street signs or advertising.

6 of 234 comments (clear)

  1. Old news by Oddscurity · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here's the press release it links to. Sadly both the article and the press release are from February 2006...

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    1. Re:Old news by include($dysmas) · · Score: 3, Informative

      slashdot gets it wrong again ... current story is here

      http://www.pinktentacle.com/2007/07/aist-improves- 3d-projector/

  2. Very cool, but not likely to be used... by Darlok · · Score: 4, Informative

    Well, first, this is sadly old news. The technology was actually exhibited at SIGGRAPH 2006 in Boston last July. It's pretty cool, but I'm not sure it would ever be put to practical use, at least in its current form.

    For one thing, it's loud! Every plasma ball makes a sizzling pop as it winks in and out of existence. Now magnify that by thousands of times as it scans out a 3D wireframe... the entire area for quite a distance surrounding fills with an ear-splitting sound of angry electric bees. There was talk of putting it on buildings to run electronic billboards in cities, but anyone within a few blocks would need ear protection to co-exist with it!

    Very cool stuff, but we're a loooong way from 3D open-air advertising.

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  3. Some video by desideria · · Score: 5, Informative

    There's video of the projector in action here

  4. YouTube video... by CyberSnyder · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=He2QTpelAjE

  5. Re:Star Wars by freeweed · · Score: 3, Informative

    Yes, but he'll tear your arms out of their sockets if he loses.

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