This video is just an animated model of what the technology will look like, but it gives you an idea of the future.

The implications of programmable matter is mind blowing. It’s interesting to contrast this innovation with Bruce Branit’s Worldbuilder, which we posted about earlier this week. Will there be a time we can change the physical properties of the world around us based on our needs and/or moods?

The paper also has an insightful discussion section looking at the relationship between the incubation of virtual worlds and how it parallels that of the web in the 1990s.

Read the paper here.

I would also like to draw your attention to a quote in the research regarding the versatile nature of collaboration in Virtual Worlds. This quote brings up the term “emotional bandwidth,” which I believe to be one of the mantras of the future of virtual worlds technology and health care.

“Because the full-colour, multifaceted nature of the experience offers so much more “emotional bandwidth” than traditional Web sites, e-mail lists and discussion groups, users say the experience can feel astonishingly real. Participants develop close relationships and share intimate details even while, paradoxically, remaining anonymous. Some say they open up in ways they never would in face-to-face encounters in real support groups, therapy sessions, or even with family and close friends in their true lives.”

Apple Insider writes: “A series of Apple patent filings published this week reveal the Mac maker has spent a considerable amount of time outlining a new multi-dimensional interface for Mac OS X that would make better use of screen real estate by increasing the number of virtual surfaces capable of housing application and interface elements.”

Check out this image:

Read the full post here.