TECHNOLOGY CROSSOVERS: USER INTERFACE FROM MINORITY REPORT NOW EXISTS

Mezzanine Is a Bridge Between Science Fiction and Reality

Do you remember the futuristic computer user interface that Tom Cruise uses in Minority Report? Well now the guy who collaborated on that film and Iron Man has gone and made this interface a reality (well almost). John Underkoffler was recruited by Steven Spielberg to give the workspace in Minority Report a truly futuristic feel, and turned ideas developed at MIT’s Media Lab into cinematic magic. Underkoffler is now CEO of Oblong Industries, an innovative company that has turned science fiction into science fact. Oblong’s Mezzanine allows a group of users to share and exchange information across multiple devices, no matter where they are located.

The system creates the space for an impressively collaborative experience between participants, facilitating an interactive exchange of ideas in real time. Underkoffler is a big believer in the creative flow between science fiction and reality, that a creative medium can inspire real products and systems. His work recently won him a National Design Award, and Mezzanine is now used by a variety of blue chip companies such as IBM, Boeing, GE and SAP. Check out the video below for a glimpse at what makes John Underkoffler tick.