inFORM is a Dynamic Shape Display that can render 3D content physically, so users can interact with digital information in a tangible way. inFORM can also interact with the physical world around it, for example moving objects on the table’s surface. Remote participants in a video conference can be displayed physically, allowing for a strong sense of presence and the ability to interact physically at a distance.

Computing today is focused on the touch screen and increasingly our interactive devices have more and more features. A mobile phone is not only a phone, but a web browser, camera, map, and video player. However it has the same physical form and affordances for all of these different applications. Our central design motivation is that the physical form of products and devices must reflect this interactivity better.

Our project looks at how we can apply shape-changing and deformable interfaces to address the lack of physical affordances in today’s interactive products. Here we focus on creating a shape changing interface, where the objects in physical world can move just as easily as pixels on a screen.

Our central belief is that tangibility is missing in the way that we currently interact with computers. We investigate questions of how users interact with this new type of interface: How can users touch and feel information and 3d models they are working on? How can a friend reach out and touch someone across the country?

We began our design explorations by building physical mockup of the shape display and creating stop motion prototypes of the interactions. Once we had decided on the type of interactions we wanted we set out on building functional prototype.

InFORM utilizes 900 electromechanical actuators and custom designed circuit boards that receive information from a computer system. The actuators are connected through mechanical linkages to plastic pins. Each pin — which can move up and down about 100 millimetres — is about 10 millimetres x 10 millimetres and acts as a real-life pixel. The pins are spaced 3 millimetres apart and controlled by microcontrollers (small computers) that talk to each other over USB to a connected computer. A projector is used to display color on top of each pin and a Kinect is used to capture mid-air gestures and to track objects and touch input on the table.

We are currently exploring a number of application domains for the inFORM shape display. One area we are working on is Geospatial data, such as maps, GIS, terrain models and architectural models. Urban planners and Architects can view 3D designs physically and better understand, share and discuss their designs. In addition, inFORM would allow 3D Modelers and Designers to prototype their 3D designs physically without 3D printing (at a low resolution). Finally, cross sections through Volumetric Data such as medical imaging CT scans can be viewed in 3D physically and interacted with. We would like to explore medical or surgical simulations. We are also very intrigued by the possibilities of remotely manipulating objects on the table.