The preceding examples illustrate successful interfaces built for a wide range of application domains from animation to artistic expression to information browsing. They all differ in the mappings they employ between sensed features, and application control. However, they all have in common the use of remote sensing technology coupled with perceptual intelligence built into the environment. The common idea is the realization that state-of-the-art vision and audition systems are capable of providing enough information to drive interactive systems, and that they provide that information in a non-invasive way that is compatible with social, natural, and creative interaction.
By adding intelligence to the surrounding space to make it responsive to the user, Perceptive Spaces offer new venues for art and entertainment. They provide solutions to man-machine interface design problems that have historically been difficult or impractical to address with traditional technologies. We believe that the notion of a perceptual space will become central to future entertainment installations, and that this technology has the potential to enhance human expressive abilities.