30/11/2013 Click

hubbub of a modern city. Now, time for a look at how we might

interact with our computers in the future. It is time for Click.

This week, the machines that read our thoughts and our faces. We'll

find out how we might be interacting with our computers in the future. We

find out how virtual owlet it can help it to scrim and eight. ``

virtual reality. And, we will help you create your own personal museum

in Web scape. The way we communicate with our

devices has changed radically in the past decade. No need to type complex

commands into your keyboard any more, even the mouse is coming and

endangered species. These days, we touch our smart phones, way that our

consoles, swipe out tablets. With an even talk to them. Yes, machines are

getting a whole lot smarter at interacting with us on our terms.

Welcome to Click, I'm Spencer Kelly. And welcome to the human interaction

lab at Bristol University, where researchers are already working on

what comes next. It is a computer display that floats in the air. One

of several projects we have seen around the world to project images

onto a curtain of mist, turning it into a hovering screen. It is touch

sensitive, too. They sought. A motion detector tracks your fingers

and allows you to drag things around and even rotate them. The suggestion

here is that several people each have their own personal Miss screen,

and work collaboratively, dragging objects to and from a central is

flat display. There is a lot of research into human computer

interaction, making waves around the world. This woman has been in

research of some of it, and she started in the bathroom.

Traditionally, water and technology don't mix, which is why don't take

my iPAQ to the bar. But these researchers have come up with the

way to interact in the bath with technology, without worrying about

getting it wet. I will show you. This is called the Aquatop display.

It proves there is more to human interaction and just talk and touch.

There is quite a bit of kit than it that fanfare of lights, sound and

splashing. First, a projector assigns an image onto the water's

surface. Right now, Clearwater doesn't work as well as this opaque

solution. Next, a Microsoft connect camera detects what shape by making

with my hands. Finally, a computer takes the data and uses it to

control the game. Those are waterproof speakers. The plan is to

bring this to market in the next few years. Certainly, it would make

part`time even more fun than it is already. TRANSLATION: I think this

is one of the characteristics of Japanese people. There is a strong

Japanese bathing culture where we enjoyed bathing for a long time in a

deep bath. By using this aqua club display at the same time of

bathing, we hope people abroad will find out how in bathing in a tub can

be. There is certainly something pleasing about interacting with

virtual things in the physical world. Even in this, the first

version of the display, I love the feeling of picking up my pictures

and dropping them back into the water. Playing with this interface

left me wanting more from the rest of my tech. Happily, I'm not alone.

There is a whole branch of research dedicated to how we interact with

machines, called human computer interaction. Here is one example of

research in this area. The inform machine from MIT's tangible media

labs. It consists of 900 moving blocks, and the engineering to

control them. How they move depends on what is happening in front of

this camera. The machine translates those hands waving onto the matrix

of blocks, allowing this ball to be moved potentially from anywhere in

the world. Things can be moved by anything. Obviously the prototype

isn't quite portable yet, they are working on it. These mobile devices

will become shape changing user interfaces. So as opposed to just

the pictures on the screen is changing, the physical form could

change again. We built this system here to prototype some of those

interactions with cheap changing user interfaces. Those interfaces

might be a while off, but if you are first to predict how human

interaction might evolve, there is clearly going to be money in it, and

there is no shortage of companies taking an interest. Like Fujitsu.

Its prototype project images onto real`world items like maps and

brochures. And, Sharp are experimenting with the concept of

home appliances appearing to be pleased to see us. Imagine that

washing machine over their ecstatic at the mere thought of being filled

with dirty laundry! Alright, while this might be a little too intimate

for some, the happy appliance concept indicates one possible

direction. A more emotional take on user interfaces. Take this software,

which has been around for a while. It recognises facial expressions. As

the user interface, it could connect to the heating system and turn up at

average when are sad. The thing is, why stop there? Facial expressions

are, to an extent, under the conscious control of the user, so it

is not much of a leap for machines to read and analyse unconscious

signals like brainwaves. In fact, it this Japanese company made these

wearable cat is that do exactly that. The ears perk up when certain

brainwave patterns are detected. Their new concept device aims to

give our brain control of a video recorder, without your pesky

conscious thoughts getting in the way. Reach a certain level of

excitement, and bang, your device will automatically remember it for

you. The potential for human /computer interaction is huge enough

to be funded by big companies and academic research, but seemingly now

the technical details, there is one more thing to deal with. Any

progress depends on just how much we are prepared to merge with the

machine. LJ Rich with some amazing

technology. We will have more from the lab here a bit later, but first

up, a look at this weeks tech news. Potty mouthed XBox One users who

post video clips to its upload studio that includes wearing, are

finding that Xbox live accounts have been suspended, or their access to

some features has been restricted by Microsoft. The tech giant has made

it the move in an attempt to maintain a clean, safe and fun

environment or all users. If the bad news that there is no swearing in

games? A study carried out by the American psychological Association

has claimed that playing computer games has many positive effects on

children, and in some cases the more violent the game, the more

beneficial the effect. The report also stated that certain types of

game can help people learn problem`solving skills and

creativity. The UN human rights committee has unanimously voted to

protect the human right opera does it against unlawful surveillance. ``

privacy. It was sponsored by Brazil and Germany, both countries that

have had their leaders spied on. And, if you have ever been kept

awake at night wondering what the US President would look like an

animated form, then your dream day has finally arrived. President Obama

was on a tour of the DreamWorks animation studio in California, when

he was confronted by an alien who had a very familiar voice. Not a bad

performance, but I don't think he will be troubling the Academy Awards

just yet. We often talk about gadgets that can

change the way we go about our lives. How many of them can actually

change the way that we in? A recent study into innate or ingrained

racism in white people has found that spending just ten minutes in a

particular virtual world can actually change the way that a view

people with different coloured skin. Can virtual reality really cure

racism? We have been to Barcelona to find out.

What do you see when you look at these faces? We might not want to

hear it, but in this multicultural world, scientists say many of us

continue to have an inbuilt racial bias. They call it implicit racism.

It may be unconscious, but it skews our judgements and decisions all the

time. The result could be that discrimination, it could sometimes

be worse. Now, a team at the University of Barcelona are

exploring how technology could help people overcome this implicit

racism. Participants were put into a simple virtual world, where their

body movements were tracked using a capture suit. But the body they had

in this world had dark skin. This virtual world may look simple, but

scientists say it has a massive impact when you are in it, and I

want to experience it myself. I'm not an ideal participant in this,

because I knew what it was all about, so at the start I very much

noticed that most skin was dark. Now, the longer I have been in this

environment, it doesn't come into it any more. I look at myself, and now

it feels more like me. It doesn't matter what colour my skin is. When

we embodied light`skinned people in a dark skinned body, there implicit

racial bias decreased. The type of body you have seems to influence how

you behave, what your thoughts are, and so on. It may be used to

actually help people to have these implicit bias is, to recognise they

have these, and also to reduce them. It can also be used for various

kinds of rehabilitation, to give people experience is, in package

experience is that they can never have. The virtual world scientists

are now building are becoming more responsive and realistic. It is also

getting cheaper to do. The team here use a Unity 3`D game system,

combined with a much hyped oculus script headmounted display. This is

certainly causing a stir in the technical world. I think the most

likely way is that it is embedded in games. While its use outside the lab

may be some way off, scientists are finding interesting ways to use this

technology to explore and modify behaviour. In one experiment,

football fans were put into a pub where Fite was starting. They found

that supporters were more likely to break it up if someone who supported

their own team was involved. Calmed down! What's going on here?

Scientists say there is still a long way to go, but what is clear is that

virtual reality provides a stepping stone towards better ever be with

others in the real world. Melissa looking at the technology that is

hoping to make us more understanding. Meanwhile, it is time

for a game of virtual bat and ball. The weird thing is, a connection if

you're the ball. The problem with controlling our devices using

gestures is that your fingers don't actually connect with anything.

That's unless you use this device. It uses ultrasound to make points in

space vibrate. If your finger is there you will feel a weird buzzing

sensation. It doesn't feel like there is anything solid, but when I

pinched the right spot in the hour, it feels like someone is lowering

the tips of my fingers with a straw. The team behind this hopes to do

more than just create a buzz. In the future you will be able to feel

different temperatures and textures. There is an established grammar for

using interfaces, pinching and zooming and scrolling. We would like

to create a similar vocabulary for the way people feel their devices.

For example, something is wet, something is dangerous. The idea I

could feel this and it will Tommy some information. I could feel what

was happening in a tennis game, or understand how the Grand Prix or

feel the spin on the ball. Or the grip or friction on the road. That

would be fantastic. Lingy Professor Mike Fraser. There is something we

all interact with on a daily basis. We take a car for a spin that wants

to sing you a song. Imagine your car as a musical instrument with music

like this. Created by your journey. That's what this experience does. It

composes music based on my driving, so speed, steering, and where I am

makes a difference to the sound they get. A series of assets have been

created by an electric music band. It uses data that is taken from the

engine management system to mix these together. Your speed, revs and

other information all play their part in conducting the orchestra.

The idea is that the music actually flows like music. The purpose is to

re`examine our relationship with the road. Everyone has driving

experiences. We wanted to emulate that moment. The music keeps making

the jump. Combination does not feel very good. The app is not available

for consumer release, but the technology is being considered as

something that could appeal to car manufacturers in the future. If

you're worried about it encouraging you to put your foot on the gas, it

isn't as simple as the faster you drive, the faster the music gets. In

the development process, we looked at a number of changes in the music.

Some subtle, some less subtle. Subtle changes were there to

maintain the integrity of the music. I'm not finding it quite as relaxing

as I expected it to be. It's fun, but the music is not varying that

much. That was when I was driving. When the professional took me for a

spin, the experience was pretty different. Aside from the adrenaline

rush, the musical was more intense. I'm not sure it will join my dodgy

music collection any time soon. I can confirm that her music

collection is just Robbie Williams. And songs that are more than four

decades old. Talking of questionable artistic taste, Kate Russell has an

interesting site that allows you to correct your favourite gallery and

museum pieces from around the world. I am not suggesting you should go

around throwing ancient relics out, but if you want to pick and choose

which cultural treasures to keep. The Google art project has just the

tool for you. Search by keyword, collections artist or explore

galleries curated by other users, or create your own collection. New

digital exhibits are being launched all the time, but this week's

release of a series celebrating Spain's influence in the USA over

the past half millennia. Scroll through beautiful images and

full`screen glory and when you see something you like, you can click

straight through to the museum or gallery page for you can browse

through the rest of the exhibits listed. If you are lucky enough to

be planning a trip, it links to a map so you can see where the host

museum or gallery is for each piece. It links to the official websites

for more information and details of what else they have on show. People

run for all sorts of reasons. To keep fit, compete, so they can eat

cake. Even walking is great exercise. Design and inspiring brute

with the help of this website. With you are looking for a gentle 2`mile

stroll Ray hardcore half marathon in job, put in your desired distance

and browse dozens of options near where you are. And there are nearly

2 million routes listed across the globe contributed by users. As well

as the Web tour, you could download the iPhone application which uses

GPS to guide and track you on a route. It is not free but definitely

a very useful downloads if you like to go walking or running new travel

new. One select it, you can use the GPS to follow the map, making sure

you do not get lost. There are training plans a few are preparing

for a race or want to shoot for a fitness goal, they have also

recently added. Bendi routes for those who like to run with a Hurree

companion. `` very companion. While you are out and about, why not make

yourself useful by downloading the project no application on my recent

Android. This ambitious initiative wants to harness the power of the

crowd to explore and document wildlife in its natural habitat

right across the globe. The project is backed by National Geographic,

using the latest technology to encourage a new generation of nature

lovers to go out and explore the world around them, in the process

the information they collect and be back to the website will play a

really important part in helping conservationists protect global

biodiversity. This Sunday as Advent Sunday. The official start of the

countdown to Christmas. You do not need to celebrate the holiday to

take advantage of Advent 2013, 25 Christmas applications. Download on

your iPhone or android handset to get a top`notch family friendly

application free every day until the 25th of December. And for the

scientist in your life, from the 1st of December, the Royal institution

is running an Advent colander on its website that picks up the theme of

this you's Christmas lecture, life fantastic. It reveals a new video

each day about the chromosomes in our cells and how they make up who

we are. Kate Russell, if you ask nicely, she will give you the

genetic sequence for Christmas pudding. All of her links are

available at our website if you miss them. That's it from the laboratory.

I am off to invent something dangerous. Thank you for watching

and see you next time. December is here. And winter, three

months which for statistical purposes make up meteorological

winter. A quiet start, things will be different by the end of this

week. A quiet start to December and winter because of high pressure

around. Plenty of cloud filtering south over the United Kingdom. If

you enjoyed some sunshine on Saturday, you will not have it but

despite the cloud, it will be mainly dry. For early risers, some drizzly

outbreaks towards western coasts and hills. A few brighter breaks when

the sun is up in eastern Scotland and north`east England.