Overseen by Professor Hiroshi Ishii, Daniel Leithinger and Sean Follmer developed inFORM inspired by the Pinscreen. On an inFORM, each of the "pins" is connected to a motor controlled by a nearby laptop, which can move them to render digital content physically and register real-life objects interacting with its surface using a hacked Microsoft Kinect. Imagine being able to touch the object from the other side of the world with this technology.
We also recommend watching: "Disney Research: Hideout and Aireal Haptic Interfaces" and "Microsoft's Applied Sciences: The 3D Desktop of Your Dreams".
inFORM: MIT's Dynamic Shape Display
Hiroshi Ishii is a professor of Media Arts and Sciences, at the MIT Media Lab. He joined the MIT Media Lab in October 1995, and founded the Tangible Media Group, currently directing the Tangible Media Group, and co-directing the Things That Think (TTT) consortium. Hiroshi’s research focuses upon the design of seamless interfaces between humans, digital information, and the physical environment.