A research team lead by University of Bristol scientists has designed what could be the future of consumer technology.
The team built an interactive, modular device called Cubimorph. It’s a single display comprised of smaller, six-sided display cubes linked together, wrote Engadget.
A hinge-mounted turntable mechanism gives Cubimorph an element of flexibility akin to a Rubik’s cube.
Users can rely on a specialized algorithm to help direct which way Cubimorph should be positioned in order to make the device become a flat smartphone or a portable game console for instance.
Google has expressed interest in developing devices like this. An initiative called Project Ara sought to build modular smartphones, but the project has faced a number of delays.
“Cubimorph is the first step towards a real modular interactive device,” said Anne Roudat, Ph.D., from the University of Bristol and the head of the Cubimorph research project, in a statement.
“Much work still needs to be achieved to put such devices in the end-user hands but we hope our work will create discussion between the human computer interaction and robotics communities that could be of benefit to one another other,” she added.
The team will be presenting its research at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation this week in Stockholm, Sweden.
Watch the device in action below.
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