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Metamophing Computer Interfaces
Siafu is a PC designed to give people with vision loss or impairment a more intuitive computer experience. It lays flat like a tablet and allows the user to fully interact with it by way of touch. The surface utilizes a conceptual material called magneclay or magnetized liquid. This material has the ability to morph upward into any shape via a controlled electromagnetic field enabling the device to create a braille surface for reading and even pictures in 3D relief.
The technology behind Siafu - Magneclay, is an oil based synthetic agent that possesses limitless morphing capabilities. It has a loose molecular structure but can be infinitely rearranged when acted upon by electrical and magnetic charges. As long as the charges acting upon it remain stable, the magneclay will hold its structural rigidity, allowing it to be touched without deformation.
As for why the device is named after an aggressive African ant? Beats me.
Designer: Jonathan Lucas
Siafu’s magneclay surface can generate full spread braill layouts, allowing users to enjoy reading digital content in a large book style relief.
The surface of Siafu can form a working 9-button braille keyboard. The braille output allows the user to conveniently review what they just typed.
Siaufu also possesses a built-in microphone, which provides an alternative to typing. Its high performance voice recognition software allows the user to simply speak into the mic, and the words are instantly processed into on screen braille relief.
Siafu has the ability to display screen images such as web pages in a bas relief. It can even go one step further and convert all the active text on the screen into translated braille relief.
Siafu utilizes 2-D to 3-D image conversion technology to process screen images. It then generates a 3-Dimensional digital wire frame which is then process through electrical currents into the magneclay. The end result is a highly accurate 3-Dimensional representation of the image.
If you liked this design, you would also be interested in:
- The Ring Of Security
- Prisma - Computer Table Lamp by V12
- Desktop/Laptop Desk for Giant Freaks
- 4D Glass by Jonathan Krawczuk
- UNI Computer Builds ‘Em As You Go
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40 Comments »
Nacon says
Finally! A true creative idea came around for once! But will it work?
CraziestGadgets.com says
wow- truly functional and great looking.
Unknown says
This is a concept that can truly provide an entirely new dimension of information, communication and tactile visual imagery for a class of people that for the most part have single dimention comunication and imagery expression.
gregorium says
merci pour cette idée superbe, utilisant la technologie pour ouvrir un nouveau monde numerique aux aveugles.
Jessica says
Hi, I’d like to know if this object is selling anywhere? Can I buy it? How much does it cost?
Thanks,
Jessica
medicalexcel.com says
will it be available in the markets soon?
and is it really capable in remodelling in whatever form appearing on the screen?
how does its texture look like?
for me it seems amazing.. but.. its availability to public is the most important..
Jonathan Lucas says
Hi everybody, I’m thrilled that so many of you are so excited about my Siafu concept. At the current moment, it is still a concept. Fortunately, Siafu has been selected to be one of the finalists in Microsoft’s Next Generation PC Competition. So if you’d like to show your support for this idea, then please go to nextgendesigncomp.com
From there, click “Vote For Your Favorite Design” and then scroll down and click on the Siafu entry. From there you just click “Vote for this Entry, and that’s it!
It would be really awesome to see this idea brought to fruition. I know that if it’s in God’s will, something will come of this. So regardless of the outcome, I just feel very blessed to have the opportunity to share my ideas with the world. So thanks and glory be to Jesus, and also, thank you Yanko Design for featuring my concept on your site. Siafu is spreading across the web like wildfire, it’s insane!
And to answer your question Long Tran, it’s named after the “aggressive African ant” known as Siafu, because they are totally blind, but manage to navigate through the world relying on touch, smell, and chemical signals, among other things.
Thanks again everybody. I’m really enjoying all the comments. The positive ones are very encouraging, I love it, and the negative ones are hilarious : D
Kevin Lee says
WOW! Congratulations! I really wanna see this fantastico(!) idea to be realized! By the way… Is the Mangeclay real technology? Or just an imagination?
Jonathan Lucas says
Thank you Mr. Lee for your kind words. Magneclay (or at least the word) was spawn from my good old imagination. Maybe some day it will be real. CALLING ALL physicists, scientists, and chemical engineers; you must usher in a new day with the creation of Magneclay…
Rony John says
Atlast, there is something that we can offer to the blind…
Bucket says
Hey as long as we’re making “inventions” using technology that doesn’t even exist why not just have the computer beam the information to the blind person’s visual cortex using the soon to be developed “Psychic-Display” technology. Or better yet, just wish into existence a cure for blindness.
This is ridiculous.
Jonathan Lucas says
Hello Bucket. And thank you for your comment. I was laughing out loud when I read it (I’m being serious, it was funny). Anyway, I totally understand where you’re coming from with your statement. It’s true that Magneclay is a conceptual material, but it’s based off of substances known as ferrofluids. Ferrofluids can morph into different shapes when acted upon by magnetic impulses. Ferrofluids fall short of one physiological attribute that Magneclay possesses, and that is the ability to solidify once a form is generated. If you’re interested (and for anybody else who is interested), I posted a link to some ferrofluid videos that are definitely worth checking out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpBxCnHU8Ao
YouTube - Ferrofluid
And lastly, my good friend Bucket, design should never be limited to existing and current technologies. If that was the case, innovations and advancements in technology would never occur. Tons of products that exist today such as cellphones, televisions, video cameras, etc., were all once concepts that were proposed by people long before the technology ever actually existed to create it.
There is a desire and a will inside inventors and designers to develop and create products, ideas, and technologies that aren’t out there in the world today. Siafu, along with many other design concepts, fall into this category.
I hope you understand what I’m saying Bucket. Thanks again for the comment, I needed a good laugh…
Bucket says
Yes, I’m familiar with ferrofluids, I bought a bottle about a year ago, fun stuff! However you’re going to have more trouble than simply making ferrofluid into a non-newtonian fluid (which is a better idea than clay because the response time would be faster). First you’ll have to overcome the huge problem with manipulating magnetic fields in the complex (if not impossible) way you’re hoping to do (not to mention passing FCC standards!). How about you make a proof of concept using plain old ferrofluid? Yeah, I didn’t think so. My point being this isn’t a “concept device” it’s science fiction if not outright fantasy. If you want to enter an “invention” into the Microsoft contest I say go with the “Psychic-Display” idea, it’s ok good friend, you can have it. Don’t limit yourself just because it seems very, very silly. Just make up some fancy pictures in a 3D app and you’ll be right where you are with this Siafu idea. Get this, I’ve even thought up a catchy name for you with a back story. You can call it Yahweh, because it uses telepathy and is totally imaginary! It’s one of those obscure names too where some people will have to Google it to get the joke. Oh man you’re right I am funny, I know I’m laughing out loud right now too! Good luck with that one.
Jason says
Hey Bucket…
I can think of a perfect example of what your trying to get at.
Jules Verne - He thought up something that was not even a near possibility at the time for a fiction book…and yet now it is fact. The Submarine.
Why don’t you try expanding your mind by looking up and reading about one of the oldest debate topics of all time. Imagination is the Mother of Invention.
Once you get your mind around both sides of that argument, maybe you will realise what the whole point of this exercise is instead of putting other peoples ideas down.
Expand your mind because at the moment, you sound like an idiot.
If our scientists were like you and waited for an almost completed invention to be handed to them, then we would still be in the dark ages.
Imagination creates ideas. Ideas create challenges. Challenges create rivals and competition, and this in turn gets results.
Just my 2 cents.
Jonathan, brilliant concept. I look forward to seeing the many ideas that this generates over the coming years.
Domingo M says
Hazlo, por favor!
Make it, please!
You have all my help and support, if I’m able to do something
Good luck !
Coppone says
I can help, I expert in tecnolgy computer, I can develop this tecnolgy?
Entendo que posso esse projeto, já tenho vários caminhos para fazê-lo.
Belo Horizonte- Brasil
aviavip in russia says
Such cases are shockingly! It is surprising! In Russia, It is magnificent and incredibly! New technologies over most popular!
Please let me place Russian translation of a small fragment of your text about Heathrow with the link to the original page at your web-site To be or to not be in what a question?
aviavip in russia says
Such cases are shockingly! It is surprising! In Russia, It is magnificent and incredibly! New technologies over most popular!
Please let me place Russian translation of a small fragment of your text about Heathrow with the link to the original page at your web-site To be or to not be in what a question?
dika says
maybe this device right now “just” concept, try to think it with the material exist right now and try to simplify the concept. Great invention comes from idea and concept, the things is, light bulb would never exist if Thomas Alfa Edison idea and concept still in his head and never try to create. Obstacle, criticism also negative response is always there, but the spirit to invent and create must be strong.
the idea and concept I think still need to improve, but it’s great one. Keep working on it.
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