Imagine a portable, cheap ($350 today), context aware version of Microsoft Surface and you may be close to what MIT presented at TED2009. Sixth Sense at it’s core is a camera and projector you carry around with you – not too amazing right? What if they worked together to project information about products, places and even people right on whatever surface happens to be in your vicinity – maybe even your hands?

Sixth Sense combines an ordinary SmartPhone, camera and mini-projector. The camera tracks your gestures and environment. The projector displays information and an interface relevant to the situation. The phone runs the necessary apps, connects to the internet and provides the horsepower.

The best way to appreciate what Sixth Sense can do is to see it in action. The video is long but full of clever nuggets and “ah-ha” moments. But if you don’t have the time, skip to about 3:10 and you’ll instantly get the plot with some insanely cool demos.

Further Reading

TED: Maes & Mistry: Unveiling the “Sixth Sense,” game-changing wearable tech
iGizmodo: Sixth Sense May Change How We Look At The World Forever
Engadget: MIT’s “sixth sense” augmented reality device demonstrated on video