For several years now, the

For several years now, the ‘holodeck’ – a place where ‘force-fields’ and holograms are co-generated to create real-as-life environments – has been a staple of Star Trek storylines. The applications of such a creation – which in theory provides a totally flexible environment – have never really been fully explored. Certain tremendously interesting ideas have been presented – such as using a solid holographic form as the host for an artificial intelligence – but others have been left woefully unexplored – such as entirely solidly holographic (and hence totally flexible and adaptable) space-faring ships. One of the applications that has been explored – albeit in a very slight fashion – is the idea of the holographic interface. While most sci-fi shows have present holographic displays, Star Trek has (once) presented apparently solid interfaces, meshed with pre-existent computers, which were completely adaptable and changed according to the circumstances. What is my point? That one of the first completely light-based interfaces now exists – a projected keyboard that senses how you are using it. The future could be almost completely non-physical interfaces. How exciting is that?