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'Touchable holography' stars Wiimote

University of Tokyo researchers have come up with a holographic projector prototype that adds tactile feedback to hovering images and could bring more realism to games.

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Philip Wong
The ultrasound is radiated from above and the user feels as if one of the pictured rain drops hits his palm. The technology could prove useful for video games, 3D CADs, and the like. University of Tokyo

Remember those uber-cool 3D projections in flicks like "Star Wars?" The University of Tokyo has turned this movie fantasy into a reality with its latest holographic projector prototype.

For added realism, it utilizes a pair of Nintendo Wiimotes for hand movement tracking and a technology known as (ready for it...) Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display. This essentially adds tactile feedback to the hovering image via ultrasonic waves (the projected images float about 12 inches away from the display surface).

But enough of the tech speak, check out the following video to see the "touchable holography" system (PDF) in action. This sure makes Microsoft's Project Natal and the Wii Motion Plus look like child's play!

(Source: Crave Asia via Ubergizmo)