I know it’s very esoteric and all, but I (and tons of other CEATEC 2008 attendees) really loved Panasonic’s super-futuristic LiveWall prototype.
What you can see in the videos below is a wall-sized screen (LifeWall) that detects users anywhere they go in the room it’s installed in through face recognition. AT CES, Panasonic called this concept “You-know-me-TV” and “Stay-with-me-TV”, respectively, which sounds kind of creepy.
Users operate the LifeWall by arm motions, much like Tom Cruise in Minority Report’s famous “cyber-display” scene.
LifeWall is good for:
– making video-calls (the people you speak to are displayed life-sized)
– viewing, zooming, dragging and dropping pictures
– accessing the Internet
– playing video games (the system recognizes your body movements)
– using it as a huge virtual “wallpaper”
– enhancing home security (you can install cameras anywhere in the house and link them to LifeWall)
Panasonic’s answer to my question when LifeWall will be commercialized: “Maybe in 5 years, maybe never.”
http://blip.tv/play/ih_Q7xeJ5FQ
Video 1: Basic controls and functions
Video 2: Viewing and choosing pictures
Video 3: Web access and video call (this is just awesome)