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Nintendo Has Patented A Projector That Displays Flat Images On Uneven Surfaces

Nintendo continues to issue a number of interesting patents and the latest one submitted by the Kyoto based company is no exception. Yes, the most recent one allows a projector to display flat images on a variety of uneven surfaces. Whether this patent will eventually be used remains to be seen, but it is certainly interesting nevertheless.

The present invention implements a projection system which appropriately corrects geometric distortion of a projected image even when an object to be projected has an arbitrary three-dimensional shape and a user’s point of view is not fixed. A projection unit (3) of a projector device 100 projects a first adjustment test image. A three-dimensional shape measurement unit (4) measures a three-dimensional shape of the object to be projected. An image capturing device (200) captures the first adjustment test image projected by the projection unit (3), and acquires a first adjustment captured image. A projected image adjustment unit (1) executes: (1) first adjustment processing for, on the basis of the first adjustment captured image acquired by the image capturing device (200), correcting the image such that geometric image distortion is reduced at an image capturing point at which the first adjustment captured image was captured; and (2) second adjustment processing for, on the basis of a state when the image adjusted by the first adjustment processing was projected by the projection unit (3), correcting the image such that geometric image distortion is reduced.

 

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44 thoughts on “Nintendo Has Patented A Projector That Displays Flat Images On Uneven Surfaces”

    1. stop calling everything a GIMMICK

      oh i took a shit its my ass gimmick

      oh ook i put food in my mouth its a mouth gimmick

      a way to see your game aka a screen or projected screen is not a gimmick its a requirment

    1. gamepad wasnrt a gimmick either or wii remote or analog stick or rumble or dpad or any iother innovation nintendo brought to the gaming experience

      how is natural eveolution a GIMMICK

      SONY FANS ARE RETARDED AS FUK WITH THIS GIMMICK SHIT

      1. The Wiimote was treated like “a gimmick” by numerous 3rd party developers. Nintendon& a few other companies proved motion controls are pretty sweet when the game is developed in the right way.

        The Wii U Gamepad was great idea. But with games like Starfox 0 it made the pad feel “gimmicky”. Captain Toad, Splatoon, Zombi U & Super Mario Maker were all top notch games that breathed life into the gamepad. But with it’s limitations the gamepad was doomed from the start!!! Why Nintendo gave this console the green light will forever be a mystery to me. This console should’ve debuted instead of the Original Wii. I would’ve included the Wiimotes & Gamepad as a 1,2 punch back in ’06. Instead of waiting until 2012- 2013 to debut the Wii U with a gamepad/controller resembling “a tablet”.
        Which made ALL OF US believe the gamepad was actually “a tablet”. Yup…they surly pissed alot of people off with this one. Not to mention, “NO HARD DRIVE?”. You had to do your research & buy one that was compatible. Not good guys!!

        Hopefully this NX will put Nintendo back on top. Though we still need to see it first! But if it is what I think it is then March 2017 is gonna be a pretty big launch.
        Oh…& y’all can stop calling this a gimmick. You wanna see a gimmick? ……….
        GET A PLAYSTAYION VR. NOW THAT’S A MIGRAINE CAUSING GIMMICK!! LOL

  1. I’m very convinced this is NX related since we’re nearing the consoles lauch and Nintendo hadnt patented their ‘super secret’ NX features… This could be the start.

  2. One thing that’s truly impressive is that for a company that is 127 years old or so, they keep pushing technology with new ideas. Other companies (looking at you Apple) have one big innovation then just milk it with nothing new or truly innovative. It’s gambles like this that lets Nintendo stick around for so long . Not sure if this is really even NX related but regardless I’m excited to see how this patent works and how it fits in with Nintendos vision.

  3. This would certainly be interesting. I can’t see this being an NX feature though; at least not a native feature. It would work as an accessory. Maybe it’s not even video game related.

  4. If this is the big NX hidden secret feature. Then I see why Nintendo is afraid of showing this too early.
    …though, they need to just go ahead & show us exactly what this NX is. Built in projector or not.

    But I can see Microsoft & Sony jumping all over this. “A portable gamng projector with kick ass resolution?”

    Nintendo…GTFOH!!! Lol. WOW

    OH…..& I’ve been seeing comments saying “…as long as it hooks up to the T.V.”
    What if it doesn’t? If this Hi Res Projector is really “the next big thing” then why go back to television? That would be considered the old way. Y’know what I’m saying?

    1. I was thinking the exact same thing, what if it doesn’t have to use a monitor, but can use/communicate with anything that can function as a monitor at the same time.

      What if it can make interactive objects of your living room stuff? Like getting a “call” from your game on your smartphone… To far? Ok I maybe way overthinking this one. :p

      I’m just a bit overexcited for an upcoming announcement. :)

  5. Interactive projection mapping/software/…? Taking the Wii-features to the next level?
    This could have many possibilities, like manipulating the projection of a game, or transporting yourself into the game without a VR headset, … make a Super Mario level of your own living room?

    I know, I know, speculations like this gets us nowhere. :p

    But I sure can see the possibilities. :D I can’t wait to see what this is for!

  6. That would be super cool, though unless there was a way to just play on the portable device it could be hard to find places to do that on the go. But at home, yeah that’d be super awesome.

  7. I was actually thinking of something like this, but smaller “screen” and it projected from your controller or it could display a map or gameplay to display on the go in the air, not on the wall. I don’t know what it’s going to be, or if it’s going to be one of those, but it would be cool to see it.

  8. This might sound terribly naïve, but isn’t that what happens if you simply try to project an image onto a surface?. Person with a bright enough shirt get in between you and the projector screen (complicated surface there) you see the image on them just fine.

    1. Spending a minute thinking about it I guess the image is smaller the closer they get. So maybe you do need to compensate output after all.

      1. It has more to do with the shape of whatever is between the projector and surface. You would still see the image if a person stepped in the way, but because people are rounded rather than flat, the image is distorted. This graphic is a good example. Light tends to wrap around objects as much as possible which would give the image a funhouse mirror effect.

        http://www.artinstructionblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/values-sheridoty-2009_img_3.jpg

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