Videos:
Why Ontario should be water capital of the world....
WOIP works by sensing back pressure or flow reduction when a user touches
a water jet. This sensing triggers or modulates
other water jets elsewhere. The result
is as if we can push water through cyberspace, e.g. any Iternet connected
water jets become interactive multimedia multi-sensory sculptures that allow
for true interactivity.
Although very simple, this has never before been done in human history,
and S. Mann has secured a very broad patent for this "WaterTouch™"
technology.
WOIP-enabled fountains allow people to use any fountain or water jet
or the like as an input device for multimedia experiences, such as
controlling other lights, sounds, or other water jets.
An example application is First-Mover Advantage in which players
(in different countries or right next to each other) try to be the first
to block a jet before the other person does. It is like pushing water
back and forth == people can have a waterfight across cyberspace, across the
world, with someone in another country or with someone at the other end of
a playground, pushing water as if "through the earth".
Commercial applications include splash pads, spraygrounds, waterparks,
etc., as well as interactive pieces. For example, a desktop fountain
can become an input device.
Such fountains are useful for people with arthritis, and provide
wellness, and interactivity across generation gaps, to delight children
and adults alike.
WOIP results in massive water savings. Rather than big fountains that
spray lots of water, we derive greater delight from small flows of water
that provide a lot more educational fun and play value.
•First Mover Advantage™
video game where the pixels are water jets;;
•ARCHITouch™ (in presentation));
Here
is a brief biography on the inventor, Steve Mann; and also
Wikipedia has more info
on the inventor.
Our Great Lakes are the world's largest freshwater surface with more than 80% of North
America's fresh water (more than 20% of the world's supply of fresh water). The Great Lakes
are spread across eight states to the South, but are wholly contained in a single province to the
North: Ontario! Whereas it will take many years before the eight states to the South reach a
consensus, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment has announced its intention that Ontario be
recognized as North America,s epicenter of clean water.
● Ontario is the world's epicenter of water (see above).
● Ontario is where the hydraulophone (another related invention) was invented.
○ Invention of the hydraulophone marks the first time in human history that
a musical instrument has been made that makes sound from vibrating water itself.
○ This is the first time in human history that water has been given a "voice".
Along with the hydraulophone, WOIP is another invention that allows people
to touch and be touched by water, so that
we can raise awareness of water worldwide, and also it makes sense
that this invention comes from Ontario == the world's water capital.
There is already a well-established market for WOIP, through
Toronto-based Crystal Fountains who has licensed the technology.
•Water jets as pixels...;
• An embodiment of the invention that uses total
internal reflection and the optical properties of water;
•Arrays of water jets as user interfaces;
•Restrictometric Fluid User Interfaces;
•US Pat. 8,294,019, Title: Fluid user
interface such as immersive
multimediator or input/output device with one or more spray jets,
Filed: May 20, 2009 Issued: October 23, 2012
•US Pat. 7,551,161, Title: Fluid user interface such as
immersive multimediator or input/output device with one or more spray
jets, Filed: December 14, 2005 Issued: June 23, 2009