Researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have unveiled a new technology called Interactive Dynamic Video (IDV) that lets viewers “touch” the objects they see on their video screens. “This technique lets us capture the physical behavior of objects, which gives us a way to play with them in virtual space,” says CSAIL PhD student Abe Davis. “By making videos interactive, we can predict how objects will respond to unknown forces and explore new ways to engage with videos.”
Davis explains that the technique would also allow virtual objects in augmented reality applications to interact believably with real-world objects. For example, the Pokémon in Pokémon Go could hide behind trees or bounce off the leaves on shrubs.
