North Carolina State University’s researchers are working on a controller that could manipulate 3-D virtual objects in a computer program. This method is user-friendly, inexpensive, and quicker than the existing technology.

The controller is known as CAPTIVE and it offers 6 degrees of freedom to users. It can have various applications in sectors like video gaming, medical diagnostics, designing various kinds of tools.

CAPTIVE is fairly easy to use and requires only three components that are- a simple cube, a webcam (it could be used from the smartphones or laptops) and some custom software.

The cube is made up of plastic having different colored balls at each corner. This cube is made from the 3-D printer. Whenever any user manipulates the cube, an image is captured by the webcam. There is a video reorganization software that tracks the movement of these colored balls with respect to each other.

According to the researchers, “This device is almost twice quicker than any of the present devices. There is no time lag between what the user is doing and what is visible on the screen. The added advantage of this method is that it uses all the technologies that are already present in our smartphones.”

Image source: The verge