back to article Boffins program peripheral visions for ultra TV immersion

Scientists have improved the immersive experience of watching telly, with projectors which extend our views into peripheral vision territory. Researchers at MIT's Media Lab have put together software which extends the image viewed on our tellies onto extra screens in a suitably blurry fashion to mimic what we see in our …

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  1. Wize

    Isn't this just a spin on...

    ...the old ambi-light TVs?

    1. stucs201
      Facepalm

      Re: Isn't this just a spin on...

      That'll be why the article says:

      "The system, called Infinity-By-Nine, is essentially Ambilight on steroids"

    2. The Mole

      Re: Isn't this just a spin on...

      You could even go far to say (quoting the article) that it is "ambi-light on steroids"

      To be fair though that is like saying video calling is just a spin on the telephone (the practicalities and adoption may be just as wide spread as well)

      1. Dave 126

        Re: Isn't this just a spin on...

        >the practicalities and adoption

        Seems pretty simple to implement, just repeat the edge pixels. If ever widely adopted, you can imagine content-producers adding an extra low-res video stream for the deluxe version. A good use for old, low res projectors, too.

        However, this system might require you to have fairly minimal room decoration- a few picture frames and a bookshelf would, I imagine, lessen the effect or make it irritating.

        1. Nick Stallman
          Happy

          Re: Isn't this just a spin on...

          Just use the projector for your paintings and furnishings.

          Mona lisa? Yeah I'll have that on my wall this week.

  2. Kubla Cant
    Meh

    Another day, another way to enhance TV video. Could they perhaps do with a sign in the office that says "It's the content, stupid"?

  3. frank ly
    Unhappy

    Immersiveness ... outpainting .....

    Yuk.

  4. boony
    WTF?

    What a world we live in

    when we are supposed to be happy with feeling an "explosion".

    <rant>

    I have felt a real explosion and frankly want no reminding of that carnage and brutatility. Honestly, can editors think about things before allowing copy through.

    </rant>

    Sorry to be a bad consumer

    1. Dave 126

      Re: What a world we live in

      There are plenty of films that don't feature explosions. However, a helluva lot do - from Lawrence of Arabia to Transformers. I would imagine that most war-films are aimed at people who have never been in a war, though- the same goes for crime thrillers and spy films.

      An interesting thought: Home cinema kit is bought by older, more mature and richer viewers who have no interest in going to the cinema to see a Michael Bay film in an auditorium full of teenagers. Therefore, big cinema films are aimed at a younger age group than once they were.

      I wish you well. Google 'PTSD ecstasy' for some interesting research.

  5. Paul Shirley

    DIY nightmare

    Bugger. Now I have to remove all that shelving, CD racks and that fireplace to provide projection friendly walls to view TV properly. Good thing I'm not a goth with black walls ;)

    1. Dan 37
      Meh

      Re: DIY nightmare

      I imagine you could get some kind of white rollerblind style setup that can mask your shelves etc when needed.

      I also imagine there's no way I could actually be arsed to arrange that kind of setup though.

      I also imagine that even if I could be arsed, there's no way the missus would let me.

      Finally, I imagine that if I could be arsed and I managed to persuade the missues, the end result would almost certainly be hardly worth the bother.

      1. Benjamin 4
        Joke

        Re: DIY nightmare

        "Some kind of white roller blind setup"

        What, like a projector screen, you mean?

        1. Dan 37
          Thumb Up

          Re: DIY nightmare

          yes, that is exactly the term I was looking for while drifting through the fog of brain failure.

  6. Craig 12

    Bah, this is just like my idea that I completely failed to patent, implement, or tell anyone other than the wife, who was not listening.

    The MIT thing is a bit more than ambilight, although the video is very poor at explaining why (with the sound off, I didn't bother to put headphones in). About half way through the demo, it tracks a rudimentary version of the tree object into the periphery.

    My idea was using a bit of look ahead on the frames to stitch together accompanying panoramas for panning/zooming shots. All the image information is there (in pre-recorded media) to create very detailed periphery in as good as real time, if it's a more joined up hardware solution.

    I wonder if I should tell Dolby about my infinite surround sound solution, or just moan a little bit when they invent it in a few years.

  7. LinkOfHyrule
    Paris Hilton

    AWESOME!!!!!

    This is going to bring a whole new dimension to Come Dine With Me! Cant effing wait!

  8. JimmyPage Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Could be awesome in 3d ...

    Back in 1990, I was able to go to see "La Geode" in Paris ... its a hemispherical IMAX cinema. I was lucky enough to see a 3d film of atoms not only whizzing up to you, but then, thanks to the screen wrapping around you, *past* you. Quite a weird experience to see something appear between you and the person next to you ......

  9. Joerg
    FAIL

    The AmbiLight fraud goes on...

    The whole AmbiLight thing is just a fraud.

    It doesn't work as advertised, it hurts the human visual system instead and lowers actual perceived spatio-temporal resolution.

  10. Stevie

    Bah!

    I bet the extra screens fill with the same mindless eyeturds avertising the show you are actually watching in less than three months of implementation.

  11. Tom Bradbury

    simpler still

    Why not just put some mirrors on the inside or horse blinkers / blinders...

  12. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
    Alien

    No No No ,a million times No

    This will just give the advertisers more screen space to pump out their crap. Only this time, it will be throughout the programme rather than in the ad breaks.

    A disaster for one and all if this becomes widespread.

    1. Inventor of the Marmite Laser Silver badge

      Re: No No No ,a million times No

      No, no, no, that's WONDERFUL!!

      Give the adfartisers loads of white space where it doesn't matter then TURN OFF THE BLOODY PROJECTORS.

      Mindless intelligence insulting averts - gone

      Distracting 'viewer experience*' - gone

      Now all that's needed is content to make TV worth watching.

      * Or suitable alternative TV3.0orhea marketspeak

  13. Francis Boyle Silver badge

    It

    Might work with the end sequence of 2001. Otherwise, I can't see much use for it.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How about the ultimate in reality? Get an outdoor hobby, go outside and practice it! All the immersion you could ask ( Free bonus, "Scent's of the Natural World" ) for at a fraction of the price, with the added benefit of not turning your arse into something 747's could land on!

    1. John H Woods Silver badge

      All that 3D stuff gives me a headache http://xkcd.com/880/

  15. ZenCoder

    Might be usefull in movie theaters.

    Side projectors might be useful in a movie theater. Other than that I don't see this as home technology.

  16. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

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    One thing you can certainly be sure and assured of, with no money back guaranteed for full satisfaction, is there is nothing in moderation there ……. for all is programmed to Rave CodeXSSXXXX Standards …… AIMoving Bigger Pictures Shows with Enlightened ScripTURING

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  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    BBC R&D demonstrated this five years ago.

    Their version, shown at Kingswood, was particularly impressive on urban landscapes and gave a sense of being within the built up areas.

    Not sure I can see what MIT have done to improve it, bar porting it to a more consumer-like platform or used newer hardware to get nearer to real-time processing.

  18. Stuart Halliday
    Thumb Down

    Waste of time.

    The trouble with adding PV is that we use it to alert us of things coming into view. So when we see a side view alter or flicker, the eye will want to look at it.

    When it gets no increase of detail when it looks to the side, there will be confusion and eye muscle ache.

  19. RAMChYLD
    Boffin

    computer kit makers have done better

    I've been seeing all those "3D surround" setups demonstrated by Nvidia and AMD, and they certainly provide clearer peripheral vision view. And all you need are three identical LCD displays which is certainly cheaper than one LCD display plus two projectors (or if you're the kind of guy, three LCD projectors).

    So, what's the advantage of MIT's solution again?

  20. John H Woods Silver badge

    How long until...

    ... we get themepark style air blasters capable of battering one with hot air full of the smell of burning?

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