As an MIT grad student, Pranav Mistry invented SixthSense, a wearable device that enables new interactions between the real world and the world of data.

Why you should listen

When Pranav Mistry was a PhD student in the Fluid Interfaces Group at MIT's Media Lab, he worked with lab director Pattie Maes to create some of the most entertaining and thought-provoking interfaces the world had ever seen. And not just computer interfaces, mind you -- these are ways to help the digital and the actual worlds interface. Imagine: intelligent sticky notes, Quickies, that can be searched and can send reminders; a pen that draws in 3D; and TaPuMa, a tangible public map that can act as Google of physical world. And of course the legendary SixthSense, which is now open sourced

Before his studies at MIT, he worked with Microsoft as a UX researcher; he's a graduate of IIT. Now, as director of research at Samsung Research America, Mistry heads the Think Tank Team, an interdisciplinary group of researchers that hunts for new ways to mix digital informational with real-world interactions. As an example, Mistry launched the company's smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, in 2013.

Pranav Mistry’s TED talks

More news and ideas from Pranav Mistry

Technology

SixthSense: Get the open-source code

January 6, 2012

Two years ago, inventor Pranav Mistry demoed the SixthSense technology on the TED stage — and talked about open-sourcing the software behind it. SixthSense is a wearable interface that enables interaction between digital information and the physical world through hand gestures. (Watch his TEDTalk to see how it works.) As promised, Pranav and his team […]

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TEDIndia

The first 5 TEDTalks from TEDIndia

November 17, 2009

Here’s the schedule for the first five TEDTalks to be released from TEDIndia. They’re premiering here on TED.com as well as on ted.indiatimes.com — and on mobile phones at http://indiatimes.vuclip.com. Live now: Pranav Mistry’s SixthSense demo — and an amazing announcement. Premiering Thursday, Nov. 19: Devdutt Pattanaik contrasts the mythology of India and the West […]

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TEDIndia

The thrilling potential of SixthSense technology: Pranav Mistry on TED.com

November 16, 2009

At TEDIndia, Pranav Mistry demos several tools that help the physical world interact with the world of data — including a deep look at his SixthSense device and a new, paradigm-shifting paper “laptop.” In an onstage Q&A, Mistry says he’ll open-source the software behind SixthSense, to open its possibilities to all. (Recorded at TEDIndia, November […]

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