we've been striving to shorten the gap between us

我們不斷地嘗試縮短

and digital information,

我們與數位資訊之間的距離

the gap between our physical world

也就是實體世界

and the world in the screen

與螢幕中虛擬世界的距離

where our imagination can go wild.

在虛擬世界裡 我們總是可以盡情發揮想像力

And this gap has become shorter,

這兩者之間的距離也確實縮短了

shorter, and even shorter,

比較近 還更再更近

and now this gap is shortened down

現在這個距離已經縮短到

to less than a millimeter,

不到一毫米了

the thickness of a touch-screen glass,

也就是觸控式螢幕厚度的距離

and the power of computing

任何人

has become accessible to everyone.

都可以使用電腦

But I wondered, what if there could be no boundary at all?

但我在想 有沒有可能 我們跟電腦之間變成完全零距離

I started to imagine what this would look like.

我開始想像那會是什麼樣子

First, I created this tool

首先 我做出了這個工具

which penetrates into the digital space,

它可以穿入到數位空間裡

so when you press it hard on the screen,

所以當你用力地壓螢幕時

it transfers its physical body into pixels.

這個工具可以把你的身體 轉換成為螢幕上的像素

Designers can materialize their ideas

做設計的人可以

directly in 3D,

把他們的想法直接3D實體化

and surgeons can practice on virtual organs

外科醫生也可以在

underneath the screen.

螢幕中的虛擬器官上做練習

So with this tool, this boundary has been broken.

我們跟電腦之間的距離 便隨著這個工具的發明而被打破了

But our two hands still remain outside the screen.

即使如此 我們的手還是停留在螢幕外

How can you reach inside and interact

有沒有可能直接把手伸進電腦

with the digital information

透過我們靈巧的雙手

using the full dexterity of our hands?

直接使用這些數位資訊呢？

At Microsoft Applied Sciences,

我在微軟的應用科學部門裡

along with my mentor Cati Boulanger,

和著我的指導教授 Cati Boulanger

I redesigned the computer

重新設計出這台電腦

and turned a little space above the keyboard

把鍵盤上面這個小小的空間

into a digital workspace.

轉變成為一個數位化工作區

By combining a transparent display and depth cameras

是透過一個透明顯示器 跟3D距離相機的組合

for sensing your fingers and face,

去感應你的手指跟臉

now you can lift up your hands from the keyboard

於是你就可以將你的手 從鍵盤上抬起來

and reach inside this 3D space

並且就此進入3D的空間

and grab pixels with your bare hands.

並且可以直接用你的手 來抓住像素

(Applause)

(鼓掌聲)

Because windows and files have a position in the real space,

因為視窗跟檔案 都在真實地存在這個空間裡

selecting them is as easy as grabbing a book off your shelf.

選取它們就好像 從書架上拿一本書一樣容易

Then you can flip through this book

你也可以這樣翻閱這本書

while highlighting the lines, words

當要在某句話 或某些字上畫重點的時候

on the virtual touch pad below each floating window.

就螢幕下方的觸控板上劃過去即可

Architects can stretch or rotate the models

建築師可以直接用他們的雙手

with their two hands directly.

來伸展或把模型轉過來

So in these examples,

所以在這些例子裡面

we are reaching into the digital world.

我們是真的進入了數位的世界

But how about reversing its role

還有沒有可能是相反過來

and having the digital information reach us instead?

讓數位資訊直接跑到我們面前呢

I'm sure many of us have had the experience

我相信我們當中許多人

of buying and returning items online.

都有過在網上購物或退貨的經驗

But now you don't have to worry about it.

現在你不需要再擔心了

What I got here is an online augmented fitting room.

你所看到的是一個網路實境試衣間

This is a view that you get from

當系統辨識出你的身型之後

head-mounted or see-through display

這個影像就會

when the system understands the geometry of your body.

透過頭戴式或透明顯示器穿戴在你身上

Taking this idea further, I started to think,

延伸這個想法，我開始想

instead of just seeing these pixels in our space,

有沒有可能不光是 在三度空間裡用肉眼看到像素

how can we make it physical

而是讓像素具體化

so that we can touch and feel it?

讓我們可以摸得到 跟感覺得到它呢

What would such a future look like?

這樣的未來會是什麼樣子?

At MIT Media Lab, along with my advisor Hiroshi Ishii

在麻省理工學院的媒體實驗室裡 我跟我的指導教授 Hiroshi Ishii

and my collaborator Rehmi Post,

以及我的合作夥伴 Rehmi Post

we created this one physical pixel.

一起研發出這一個具像化的畫素

Well, in this case, this spherical magnet

這組模組中的球狀磁鐵

acts like a 3D pixel in our space,

就好像是現實生活中的3D像素

which means that both computers and people

也就是說無論是 使用電腦或人用手

can move this object to anywhere

都可以在這個小小的三度空間裡

within this little 3D space.

自由且同步地移動它

What we did was essentially canceling gravity

基本上我們所做的 就是拿掉重力這個因素

and controlling the movement by combining

透過結合磁浮

magnetic levitation and mechanical actuation

及力學效應

and sensing technologies.

再加上感應技術 來讓它動起來

And by digitally programming the object,

並透過程式來將物件數位化

we are liberating the object from constraints

就讓它脫離了時間空間的限制

of time and space, which means that now,

也就是說現在

human motions can be recorded and played back

人的動作可以被紀錄並重新播放

and left permanently in the physical world.

並且在現實生活中被永久保存下來

So choreography can be taught physically over distance

所以現在芭蕾舞 也可以進行遠距教學

and Michael Jordan's famous shooting can be replicated

麥可喬丹的傳奇飛人之姿

over and over as a physical reality.

也可以真實地一再重現

Students can use this as a tool

學生也可以使用它

to learn about the complex concepts

來學習像行星運動或物理學

such as planetary motion, physics,

這類比較複雜的概念

and unlike computer screens or textbooks,

相較於一般的電腦螢幕或教科書

this is a real, tangible experience

這是個有形有體的真實經驗

that you can touch and feel, and it's very powerful.

你可以觸摸跟實際感受 這會令人印象深刻

And what's more exciting

更令人興奮的是

than just turning what's currently in the computer physical

不是只是將電腦裡的東西實體化

is to start imagining how programming the world

而是當我們生活週遭 很多東西開始被程式化之後

will alter even our daily physical activities.

我們的日常生活也將會隨之改變

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

As you can see, the digital information

就如各位所看到的

will not just show us something

數位資訊將不只提供知識或想法

but it will start directly acting upon us

而是直接在我們面前活生生地呈現出來

as a part of our physical surroundings

就好像是我們生活週遭的一部份

without disconnecting ourselves from our world.

我們不再需要將自己 從這個世界中抽離出來

Today, we started by talking about the boundary,

我們今天是從這層隔閡開始講起

but if we remove this boundary,

但如果這層隔閡不再復存

the only boundary left is our imagination.

那唯一會限制我們的 就只剩下自己的想像力了

Thank you.

謝謝

(Applause)

(鼓掌聲)