New 3D cube points to future of handheld gaming tech

Is 'pCubee' the ultimate toy? The future of handheld consoles?

Researchers from the University of British Columbia have designed this new personal cubic head-coupled 3D display which allows you to play around with and manipulate 3D scenes from multiple angles.

Could this new tech point the way to what we might see in the Nintendo 4DS in 2015 perhaps?

You can interact with the cube in 4 different ways – you can view a static 3D scene, navigate through a large landscape, play with colliding objects inside a box or use a stylus to manipulate objects that look like they are truly within this magic cube.

[Noctis Aftermath]

So, is that a cube in your pants or are you just happy to see me?

[Blaster_Master]

Ive already said that I see consoles getting smaller and smaller to the point where its just a hand held with an hdmi and optical out for tv hookups. Tech is always just gonna get better and smaller as the years go by. I wouldn't be suprised if the ps4 ended up just being the psp 2 with the cell processor and 3-d.

[Jsynn7]

Pretty cool but yeah, I don't see how this would fit in your pocket as a handheld system. You'd be rockn' with a serious bulge(maybe it'll help pick up chicks. Happy accident) This could be applied to PC/Console gaming in some way though. That would be hot.

[silencedisturber]

1,1 - BlasterMaster: "Ive already said that I see consoles getting smaller and smaller to the point where its just a hand held with an hdmi and optical out for tv hookups. "

Yeah, because the PS3 certainly is one of the smallest consoles in gaming history ;). New tech in todays form is always going to take a certain amount of space. Only when nanotechnology really gets a breakthrough, we'll see consoles getting smaller, or even disappear ;).

[DTClown]

the rubiks cube. I don't ever remember anyone putting it their pocket, but yet they were freakin everywhere. I think this pcubee will be huge.

[edgeofblade]

Certainly a good idea, but the tech isn't here yet. The head tracking system looks to be attached to the camera. I suppose some simple IR-emitting headband could work, but it would need a secondary system for syncing the reference points on the cube.

[R2D2]

I will have to disagree with you that technology is getting smaller. Compare the SNES,SEGA GENESES,NG4,GAME CUBE and DREAM CAST to the PS2 (Not Slim), Xbox,PS3 (Not Slim), XBOX 360, to the new Gen tech and you will see how massive they are compared to the old school tech.

The way I see it is that the more new tech that is discoverd the more thing are added to the consoles, which makes them bulky. Now if some one creats a disk the size of UMD that can store 3 times the amount of data that one blue rey holds with the same quality, then we can safely say the PS4 and XBOX 720 will be smaller.

Digital Distribution will never take off - so disk will always be needed.

[darthv72]

you have to remember the majority of size in the newer consoles is derived from the use of an optical drive. Cart based systems were small because they were solid state. Limitations THEN prevented them from evolving so the natural progression for the tech as well as the games was to move to a larger capacity format.

Lo and behold...CD/DVD/Blu yet we are in for a change back to solid state at some point. Digital dist as well as new higher capacity flash memory means that these units will revert back to cart based or hdd digital dist instead of moving optical drives.

This could be the reinvention of the wheel..er.. I mean "game"cube. Maybe not right away but certainly shows promise.

[R2D2]

I agree with you. I hope my idea of the next gen consoles useing something like a super modified SD Card or USB Stick will be implemented. I know that it will only lead to piracy but can you imagine playing a game with minimum to no loading and never have to worry about your game getting scraped.

[DelbertGrady]

That looked pretty f'ing awesome if you ask me.

[thedarkestfaction]

The tech is pretty amazing, but the design is very Amish.

[Sitdown]

cow sex? Anyhow..I don't think 3D cubes will be the true future of handheld gaming tech...looks like it would take away from the selling point of handheld gaming.

[DigitalAnalog]

Ndsi has already something similar. Only that it's done by 2 screens (check video) and not in 5 dimensions like the demo above.

-End statement

[SuperStrokey1123]

Thats pretty neat but until the screens go much closer to the sides... not really all the immersive.

[bjornbear]

achieving the same desired effect through a different solution

very awesome, just hope it becomes something with bigger screens / no borders =D

[SuperbVillain]

that is amazing...but its too bulky for handheld gaming,maybe if they slim it down alot,but then i dont see how that would work

[lizard81288]

even though you could carry it, would you? i mean that would be like me carrying my wii everywhere, setting it on tables, what happens if it drops? how would you play that thing in school? i think it needs to be more portable, since if it breaks your screwed if the warranty is out.

[vader1231231]

I found a Youtube video of it in action... Pretty damned awesome if ya ask me!

[Setekh]

The exact same video that it displayed on the website this story originates from?

Great job Sherlock.

[Greek99]

It helps to click on the link first before commenting...

[lizard81288]

but if thats it, i can't see it as a serious competitor though. looks like a fun time waster though