The Khronos Projector

The khronos Projector is the self described "video time-warping machine with a tangible deformable screen". By touching (or dragging a hand across) a screen that is playing projected footage, users can not only seemingly morph and modify the footage but can also change the direction of the footage from backwards to forwards in the time track. This makes for some interesting new dimensions and control elements. Using an algorithm the University of Tokyo have developed a multi layered sequence of images utilizing a spatio-temporal filter to blend and fuse each of the images in the sequence. The program uses the C++ language and for you animators out there, also uses our familiar OpenGL and NURBS surface mapping.
What is interesting about this concept is the possible potential it may have with real time generated environments, similar to interactive gaming or simulation worlds in that the user could become more directly involved beyond just the mouse and keyboard. This would also be a nice consideration to some of the primitive attempts to import a user into an environment, such as the Eye Toy, which as of now is a rather flimsy attempt, but combined with the users physical touch, might pull the flatness of just video, into a more useful application. Of course it would nice to see the Eye Toy itself advance it's own skills to be worthwhile in such a merger. Something more akin to the Nanomanipulator might be a more scientifically successful pursuit. Of course this will be something we will wait some time for.
There are a multitude of downloadable movies on the website where you can simultaneously watch a user interact with the footage and effect it. If you look closely you can see frame adjustments in some of the footage that differs from the others.
There is also a free demo applet available for download. Website.