T(ether) augmented reality glove lets you manipulate virtual objects in mid-air

The world of techno-gloves is a rapidly expanding one indeed. Not a day goes by without some new and uber-cool hand fashion dropping our way. We can perhaps trace this lineage all the way back to Michael Jackson. In any event, it’s time for yet another installment of Crunchwear’s recurring series Get to know the glove of the future.

This edition finds us at MIT, where we happen upon a group of researchers with one thing on their minds, augmented reality. They have been working on their T(ether) concept design, a glove that uses augmented reality to allow the wearer to edit virtual objects in mid-air. The students, David Lakatos and Matthew Blackshaw, created the glove as way to collaboratively edit 3D virtual objects in mid-air in real-time using an iPad. The system facilitates spacial mapping between virtual and real space, allowing a pair of editors to build, change and control virtual objects in tandem. It’s sort of like Minority Report, but without Tom Cruise and those weird spiders.

The potential for this kind of tech is limitless. Imagine having real-time surgical training without a body, or making key changes in the heart of a nuclear power plant without even being there. In short, this is going to save some lives. But not yet. For now it’s just in the design phase with no practical application in the foreseeable future. Hey, in the meantime there’s this glove that gives you an extra finger. If that’s not enough, you can watch a video of the T(ether) below.