Queens University is working on a way to turn augmented reality into an experience in which users can physically touch objects.

According to the university, the problem with augmented reality is that the picture that a user is viewing is airborne, however, physical objects are bound by gravity. To try and surpass that issue, the team has developed what it calls BitDrones, which are a set of small flying drones that serve a number of purposes.

The first type of BitDrone is called the PixelDrone, which essentially has a basic LED display and is there to show certain information. ShapeDrones are cubic objects that work together to form a 3D display, and DisplayDrones offer the user a touchscreen interface. All of the drones can be tracked using 3D motion-capture sensors.

Of course, the technology is still being developed, and currently, the drones cannot form very complex objects. The team was able to demonstrate using the system to browse through files, essentially swiping drones left and right to show the contents of those files. The operator of the drone was then able to open an architectural drawing, and the ShapeDrones then formed the basic positioning of the building in 3D. Users can then drag drones to adjust the orientation of the building, and even change parameters of the ShapeDrone using the touchscreen.

The system currently supports as many as a dozen large drones, however, researchers are aiming to end up building a system that works with thousands of drones, essentially acting like individual pixels to form objects in real life. Of course, while it would be cool to see a swarm of drones making augmented reality in real life, it might simply be easier to put on an AR headset.

Check out the video below to see the drones in action.

Via: Engadget