ZeroN Defies Gravity; Suspends Ball In Mid-Air - MIT Media Lab

MIT Media Lab's latest experiment will leave you feeling mesmerized. This new system developed by MIT researchers deals with suspending a small plastic-coated magnetic ball called the ZeroN or Levitated Interaction Element in mid-air. The ZeroN can not only be levitated but also moved in the 3-dimensional space by computer control or by actually touching it. With this mechanism people and computers are physically interacting with one another in 3D space. So basically, in near future you may not need to spell the famous Harry Potter charm 'Wingardium Leviosa' correctly to levitate things. How amazing is that?



Once people start moving ZeroN ball by digitally controlling it, here's when it gets more interesting. ZeroN can actually remember how it has been moved. So, once you move it, it collects all the information about the motion and can play it back for you innumerable times. For instance, when the users move releases the ZeroN, it continues to float and starts to move along the same path. To realize this mind-blowing system, researchers Jinha Lee, Rehmi Post and Hiroshi Ishii developed a magnetic control system combined with optical tracking and display system that projects images on the levitating object.

This calls for the unthinkable number of applications that this experiment brings. For example, users can place the sun above physical objects to cast digital shadows, or place a planet that will start revolving based on simulated physical conditions. In the following video, we can see this all in action. Witness the revolution in the way we interact with material, space and digital information. Do not miss this -


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