Disney's Magic Bench lets you play with AR characters without headset or smartphone

Disney Research has come up with a new way to allow multiple people to experience the same augmented reality experience while in the same room — without wearing a headset or holding a mobile device.  

The innovative approach to AR was revealed on Wednesday in the form of what Disney Research calls the Magic Bench. But the system is about more than just a "bench," it's an entire room that's set up for virtual immersion in mixed reality. 

Using depth and color sensors from a Microsoft Kinect, the team was able to create a 3D reconstruction of the room's scene, allowing real people and virtual characters to interact with each other in real time.  Read more...