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MIT has developed a groundbreaking “Dynamic Shape Display” known as inFORM, which can physically alter its shape to represent 3D content. This innovative display consists of a large surface covered with pins, actuators, and linkages, allowing it to transform its topography based on the input it receives. A projector provides visual context by adding color and depth to the shifting pins.
The inFORM system is enhanced with a Kinect sensor, enabling users to manipulate the display’s pins with their hands, even remotely, as shown in MIT’s demonstration video. Potential applications for inFORM include 3D visualizations for medical scans, interactive device interfaces, terrain modeling for urban planning, and other areas requiring detailed physical representations of digital data.
This technology is part of MIT’s broader vision for “Radical Atoms,” a concept where all digital information is physically embodied, moving beyond current graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to a future where digital content has tangible, interactive forms.