Forget big-screen TV

This is the invention that I have been waiting for. Well, it's still more like a research project, but soon enough, we'll be able to scrap that bulky big-screen TV, or any TV for that matter. Got a wall? Any wall will do. Don't mind the wallpaper, that Picasso painting, or mounted family pictures.

Prof. Oliver Bimber from the University of Weimar leads a project that they call "Smart Projector." A beamer projects the image against any surface, after a 3D and color calibration figures out what the surface looks like. Then a piece of software renders the projection images (including movies at 25 fps) in real-time, by calculating the offset from the acquired calibration settings. Very cool.

The first demonstration of the SmartProjector technology happened in the vaults of Scharfenstein castle in Leinefelde. It looks like the team of researchers threw the beamer image directly against the brick wall. No screen, no white backdrop. Only rocks. Of course, there are still a few things to consider before this invention hits the shelves at your local geek store, for example, surface shadows or multi-angle viewing, but it sure beats the typical entertainment center setup with wardrobe-size back-projection TV screens, nicely framed in solid oak cabinets. Ugh.

Here is a short video clip (8MB Mpeg) that ran on channel RTL2 during "Welt der Wunder" (World of Wonders). Although it's in German, you should still be able to get the idea.