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The Lightbulb Computer

39 points16 hourslightbulbcomputer.com
schiffern • 11 hours ago

Nice. This reminds me how I felt watching the first pre-iPhone multitouch demos.

One small quality-of-life improvement that could be added: have the software timestamp when you say "here" and then (using a short low-FPS video buffer?) analyze the corresponding frame of video. This would eliminate the pause when you're pointing at something, waiting for the computer to respond.

Alternately a low-latency speech analyzer could look for the word "here" and quickly snap a screenshot. Perhaps project a temporary dot on the surface, so the user knows they can put their hand down now?

Quite the impressive demo! There's huge potential here.

socratics • 11 hours ago

An interesting concept. I'm (probably) one of the few people that thought the Humane Pin had an interesting idea at its core, it was just executed poorly at the wrong time. A stationary version that leans into ambience solves a lot of the interaction and engineering issues. I also like that it addresses my gripe with XR interfaces; you aren't actually sharing a digital object in space and it looks weird to everyone else.

seltzered_ • 6 hours ago

Reminds me of https://folk.computer/ , but facilitated more via voice interactions.

rlam2x51 • 7 hours ago

I would like to have this! Is this a real, working prototype or just some computer animation?

xixixao • 1 hour ago

Author explains the demos are real but current setup bulky.

eth0up • 6 hours ago

I think the mission statement here is on to something. Helmets, obtrusive physical appendages etc are unappealing to me. The idea of using extant space or surfaces however, is extremely appealing. And while it might suggest lower quality today, as with most things, it would almost certainly improve over iterations and time.

Holographic computing, I think, will be the future. At least for interfaces.

Terr_ • 3 hours ago

I realize this is not the makers' focus, but I find myself less enthused with the human-computer interaction side and more anxious about how we can ensure the human maintains true ownership and agency over the device and its software.

I mean, merge one of these with a modern anti-consumer "Smart TV", and we're uncomfortably close to 1984's telescreen.

fragmede • 11 hours ago

Projectors are cheap enough for this to work.

Levitating • 3 hours ago

Projectors aren't cheap though? Especially if you want to use them in a lit room.