Augmented reality technologies may be all the rage thanks to apps like Pokemon Go, but Disney Research wants to take the concept the next level. As TechRadar reports, the group is currently developing an AR/MR (mixed reality) project they’re calling Magic Bench. As you can see in the video below, this technology will combine AR effects with practical ones to give guests the experience of interacting with animated characters:
As you can see, Magic Bench utilize video displays, computers, cameras, and haptic actuators to create this augmented environment. While you might not think a “bench” is the most magical of objects, Disney Research’s Moshe Mahler says that the bench is actually an important piece of the entire setup. He explained, “It creates a stage with a foreground and a background, with the seated participants in the middle ground. It even serves as a controller; the mixed reality experience doesn’t begin until someone sits down and different formations of people seated create different types of experiences.”
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