Digital Gets Physical

Can you roll a ball without touching it? Mold an object simply by waving your hands? MIT’s Tangible Media Group can. They demo two innovative projects as part of their vision to make user interfaces more physical. One, called “inFORM,” is an interactive shape-changing display that boasts myriad functions and a mind-bending design. “jamSheets” combines pneumatic pumps and thin sheets of paper and fabric to enable users to mold surfaces, clothing, or even furniture without the aid of a computer.