WOIP (Water Over Internet Protocol

Touch and be touched by water: The Fluid User Interface

• Proven success in waterparks, splash pads, beach areas, civic centres, museums, and attractions all around the world!

• Also useful for rehabilitation, spa facilties, cancer treatment, and in retirement homes (helps with arthritis, etc.).

• Appeals to (and brings together) people of all ages and backgrounds through the universal tactile media of water!

• Patented technology, with a licensee already secured!

• Helps raise awareness of our most precious natural resource==water!



Videos:
First Mover Advantage™ video game where the pixels are water jets;;
ARCHITouch™ (in presentation));

  1. Invention title: WOIP = Water Over Internet Protocol
  2. Summary explanation -- how it works:
    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.

    Why Ontario should be water capital of the world....
    ● 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.

    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".

  3. Example commercial applications:
    There is already a well-established market for WOIP, through Toronto-based Crystal Fountains who has licensed the technology.

    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.

  4. Links to publications associated with the invention:
    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;
  5. Patent applications filed or issued: A large number of patents are pending, or issued, on this technology, such as:
    •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
  6. Prototypes constructed: A large number of prototypes have been constructed but additional work is required regarding high volume manufacture and other improvements. A small number of products have been made at S. Mann's home, in his workshop, by S. Mann, and are available for viewing or demonstration. We are currently building a research and development laboratory specifically for this invention, and are also writing further additional grants for funding.
  7. Further notes: I recommend that Ryan Janzen be brought into the team working on this invention. He did an Ma.Sc. thesis on hydraulophone and is the world's leading hydraulist (world's leading composer for hydraulophone, and also an expert on the enginering and techinical details of building WOIP devices). Ryan is completing his PhD and will be done at about the right time to assume a role as CTO or the like, of a WOIP-based manufacturing, goods, or services company. C. Aimone may also be brought in tactically as a consultant, but remains with Interaxon (nearby in Toronto downtown), so his time needs to be drawn on only tactically.
Here is a brief biography on the inventor, Steve Mann; and also Wikipedia has more info on the inventor.

Return to a list of some of Steve Mann inventions