Siftables: Education for the future?

isaak · Sep 23, 2009, 01:18 AM

check this out:

David Merrill demos Siftables | Video on TED.com

pretty cool huh?

GigaWatt · Sep 23, 2009, 03:05 AM

this is not a new idea...

a few years back, a similar idea was presented as the future of electronic instruments... you put a cube that represents some sort of a waveform on flat table (not just any table, a specific table designed just for that purpose), and in the center of the table there is a little dot... as you move the cube closer to the dot, the frequency of that specific waveform that the cube represents goes higher (it's pitch increases), as you go further away from the center of the table, the frequency decreases... you can also see the waveform on the table, since the table is some sort of an oscilloscope/table/monitor that shows the waveforms and how different cubes interact with each other... you can do modulations, combinations of different waveforms (cubes), change the amplitude of the signal by rotating the cube, etc... and all this is done by just positioning the cubes in the right way... so, basically, the idea is nothing new...

Cow_160483 · Sep 23, 2009, 07:18 AM

Now thats a very useful technology

i can see a wide variety of applications for it in the near future

Nice find Isaak.

isaak · Sep 23, 2009, 11:18 AM

It may not be new technology Giga, but the application has changed for the better (it seems

). I personally loved the maths features it had.

Thanks for the rep cow

Falstaff · Sep 23, 2009, 01:45 PM

this will be an Apple product I am sure.

GigaWatt · Sep 23, 2009, 02:05 PM

imo, people will forget how to write with features like these... i for one am against these sorts of things...

not that i'm against you isaak... nothing personal

... you thought it was interesting (which it is) and you posted it...

it's the applications of these sorts of things that scares me...

looks like that pen and paper would be meaningless in the future... sad but (obviously) true...

**Mousey** · Sep 23, 2009, 02:54 PM

Personally i think that the Siftables could be a real major implementation into schools, Maybe like pre-school or early years with the demonstrations that he put on there just for now. But maybe if more software could be coded they could become more appropriate for older students doing languages ect. Say for instance a teacher has like a laptop with an adapter in front of them and quizzes students (say for instance in a spanish lesson) how to say Good Morning, the student holds up the siftable they think is the correct answer (in this case; Buenos Dias) and the laptop could identify which ones are right, and which aren't.

It could help identify students that may need extra help. I dunno random thought

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

this will be an Apple product I am sure.

Noodl3 · Sep 23, 2009, 05:37 PM

ok I know this makes me sound childish but I WANT I WANT I WANT lol

Tyrsonswood · Sep 23, 2009, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

this will be an Apple product I am sure.

But you only get one unit..... you need to apply at the Apple store to find other owners in your area..... blah blah blah...... AND it's pnly $1000 plus local taxes...

**Mousey** · Sep 23, 2009, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyrsonswood

But you only get one unit..... you need to apply at the Apple store to find other owners in your area..... blah blah blah...... AND it's pnly $1000 plus local taxes...

Disclaimer : Other units that make it worth using sold seperately at ridiculously high prices

isaak · Sep 24, 2009, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mousey

Disclaimer : Other units that make it worth using sold seperately at ridiculously high prices

@GigaWatt: I totally agree...this world is becoming full of technology. I did open day tours for my school a while back and when walking around the junior school found that they ALL had laptops sitting in front of them, and they used some sort of touch boards which all linked to a main one on the projector so they could see each others work. I was kinda jealous... but how is their hand writing?

Falstaff · Sep 24, 2009, 03:05 PM

This MIT grad has been working on this idea and other ideas for sometime so that his version of this technology will become marketable and make him lorry fulls of cash soon.
He is not the only inventor or wunderkind that will market it to the world and charge a hefty price for it.
If he and his ilk will enjoy any respect from me, right now they are just toys IMO. But I know for a fact that tactile learning tools like this are being tested.
The fact that we have a slick video on the web means that big pocket companies already bankrolling this venture and others like it.
Call me a cynical bastard, but the first thing impression I got was "thats all?.
I went gee whiz and wow, but that was the extent of my interest.

isaak · Sep 25, 2009, 01:43 AM

They do seem quite limited in their application but for a school like mine who gives all the junior students laptops, it may be the next 'thing'.

Chris1474 · Sep 25, 2009, 03:04 AM

That is awesome, hope to see it used.

Falstaff · Sep 26, 2009, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris1474

That is awesome, hope to see it used.

apparently it is..
I am sure that someone will have a pirated version soon.

GigaWatt · Sep 27, 2009, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

apparently it is..
I am sure that someone will have a pirated version soon.

or reverse engineered...

comp_ali · Sep 27, 2009, 07:44 PM

Very nice indeed , thanks Isaak

Sep 23, 2009, 01:18 AM	#1
isaak HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,286 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	Siftables: Education for the future? check this out: David Merrill demos Siftables \| Video on TED.com pretty cool huh? __________________ The first step... shall be to lose the way. - Galway Kinnell

Sep 23, 2009, 03:05 AM	#2
GigaWatt Now In Color :D Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Macedonia, Skopje Posts: 2,116 Rep Power: 81 System Specs	Re: Siftables: Education for the future? this is not a new idea... a few years back, a similar idea was presented as the future of electronic instruments... you put a cube that represents some sort of a waveform on flat table (not just any table, a specific table designed just for that purpose), and in the center of the table there is a little dot... as you move the cube closer to the dot, the frequency of that specific waveform that the cube represents goes higher (it's pitch increases), as you go further away from the center of the table, the frequency decreases... you can also see the waveform on the table, since the table is some sort of an oscilloscope/table/monitor that shows the waveforms and how different cubes interact with each other... you can do modulations, combinations of different waveforms (cubes), change the amplitude of the signal by rotating the cube, etc... and all this is done by just positioning the cubes in the right way... so, basically, the idea is nothing new... __________________ It's not schisophrenia... it's just a voice in my head...

Sep 23, 2009, 07:18 AM	#3
Cow_160483 HH's only cow moooooo... Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: BOTSWANA Posts: 6,821 Rep Power: 300 System Specs	Re: Siftables: Education for the future? Now thats a very useful technology i can see a wide variety of applications for it in the near future Nice find Isaak. __________________ Decode! Muhahahahah!

Sep 23, 2009, 11:18 AM	Thread Starter #4
isaak HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,286 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	Re: Siftables: Education for the future? It may not be new technology Giga, but the application has changed for the better (it seems ). I personally loved the maths features it had. Thanks for the rep cow __________________ The first step... shall be to lose the way. - Galway Kinnell

Sep 23, 2009, 01:45 PM	#5
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Re: Siftables: Education for the future? this will be an Apple product I am sure. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Sep 23, 2009, 02:05 PM	#6
GigaWatt Now In Color :D Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Macedonia, Skopje Posts: 2,116 Rep Power: 81 System Specs	Re: Siftables: Education for the future? imo, people will forget how to write with features like these... i for one am against these sorts of things... not that i'm against you isaak... nothing personal ... you thought it was interesting (which it is) and you posted it... it's the applications of these sorts of things that scares me... looks like that pen and paper would be meaningless in the future... sad but (obviously) true... __________________ It's not schisophrenia... it's just a voice in my head...

Sep 23, 2009, 05:37 PM	#8
Noodl3 Wannabe Drama Queen Join Date: May 2009 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 305 Rep Power: 50 System Specs	Re: Siftables: Education for the future? ok I know this makes me sound childish but I WANT I WANT I WANT lol __________________ Visit hardWIRED

Sep 24, 2009, 03:05 PM	#12
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Re: Siftables: Education for the future? This MIT grad has been working on this idea and other ideas for sometime so that his version of this technology will become marketable and make him lorry fulls of cash soon. He is not the only inventor or wunderkind that will market it to the world and charge a hefty price for it. If he and his ilk will enjoy any respect from me, right now they are just toys IMO. But I know for a fact that tactile learning tools like this are being tested. The fact that we have a slick video on the web means that big pocket companies already bankrolling this venture and others like it. Call me a cynical bastard, but the first thing impression I got was "thats all?. I went gee whiz and wow, but that was the extent of my interest. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Sep 25, 2009, 01:43 AM	Thread Starter #13
isaak HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,286 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	Re: Siftables: Education for the future? They do seem quite limited in their application but for a school like mine who gives all the junior students laptops, it may be the next 'thing'. __________________ The first step... shall be to lose the way. - Galway Kinnell

Sep 25, 2009, 03:04 AM	#14
Chris1474 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 15 Rep Power: 0	Re: Siftables: Education for the future? That is awesome, hope to see it used.

Sep 27, 2009, 07:44 PM	#17
comp_ali Sniper Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Egypt Posts: 10,469 Rep Power: 339 System Specs	Re: Siftables: Education for the future? Very nice indeed , thanks Isaak __________________