One of the biggest inventions by mankind. Picture you watching TV and also being able to not only feel images, but also catch, pinch and stretch them, all in air. TV has just gone to the next level.

The world is now introduced to a 3D television System which enables image feeling through the i3 space device that is developed by Norio Nakamura, a senior scientist in the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan. This 3D TV absolutely caters to the sense of touch.

Six motion-detector cameras are used to monitor viewer’s fingers, and tiny clips attached to their index fingers vibrate when they touch an image. And as the image is touched, this technology changes the shape into a 3-dimensional image.

Although this technology may take time to reach our living rooms, the makers say it could be useful to surgeons to practice an operation before actually performing it live on a patient. Also the gaming industry is likely to welcome it with open arms as it will provide a live experience to

gamers. The technology can also be used to create a virtual museum, where visitors will be able to touch the valued sculpture which is otherwise not possible. This would also provide a chance to visually impaired people to feel the sculptures.

The AIST will be presenting this invention in the CEDEC 2010 that is to be held in September especially for the gaming industry.

As to how and in which direction this invention will progress and get accepted is a tricky question to answer, but I give it a thumbs up and am waiting for it in my living room.