Catchyoo: Interactive projection ads from Japan

Fresh from the marketing and technological glitz of Tokyo comes interactive ads that even a casual passer-by won’t be able to help participating in if he walks over it.

Catchyoo is more than just an interactive tool, but is an entirely new way of bringing consumers, literally, into the ads themselves. Developed by LM3 Labs in Tokyo, Catchyoo is a projection system that displays the ads on floors, walls, or wherever. People can then physically interact with the ads by sweeping their hands to wipe away animated leaves, squash moving “moles” with their feet, make ripples in a pool of water, or any of the other seemingly infinite possibilities for this. Judge for yourself by the three videos below, but the visuals are unbelievably crisp and stylish.

This amazing interaction is done completely with sensors within the projection system, not with anything on the surface itself. At it’s various displays around Tokyo, especially at Omotesando Hills, Catchyoo draws a crowd, but mostly because of the game-like feeling of it.

While Catchyoo is fun to play with, it’s also a great way to make relevant ads that are easily changed and updated through the computer. Even better, as illustrated with the iPhone ad, it’s a great way to demonstrate product features themselves. iPhone has a touchscreen, so why not make a giant touchscreen iPhone that everyone can play around with? Only, instead of fingers, you do a running-start, face-first, Pete Rose slide over the image to scroll.

Pictures and video via Catchyoo