Disney Research's 'Magic Bench' lets you enjoy AR as a group

(Image credit: Disney)

Augmented reality is kind of a solo experience. You put on the headset, and unless your friends are also wearing headsets they aren't going to be able to see what you can see. Well, not the augmented bits anyway.

But engineers at Disney Research have come up with what they say is an alternative that allows groups to enjoy AR together. It's a bench. But not just any bench – a "Magic Bench".

The magic is basically a camera, a computer and a screen. The camera includes a depth sensor, and captures an image of the bench and those on it, which is sent to the computer. The computer augments that image with computer-generated characters or objects, then the screen displays all that to the people sitting on the bench.

There are also some vibrators in the bench that can simulate effects like rain or the feeling of someone sitting down next to you. The researchers say that the overall effect, when you're watching the screen, is pretty good.

Critical role

"This platform creates a multi-sensory immersive experience in which a group can interact directly with an animated character," said Moshe Mahler, principal digital artist at Disney Research. 

"Our mantra for this project was: hear a character coming, see them enter the space, and feel them sit next to you."

He added: "The bench itself plays a critical role. Not only does it contain haptic actuators, but it constrains several issues for us in an elegant way. We know the location and the number of participants, and can infer their gaze." 

"It creates a stage with a foreground and a background, with the seated participants in the middle ground. It even serves as a controller; the mixed reality experience doesn't begin until someone sits down and different formations of people seated create different types of experiences."

You can read a paper that Disney published explaining how it all works on the group's website. 

Duncan Geere
Duncan Geere is TechRadar's science writer. Every day he finds the most interesting science news and explains why you should care. You can read more of his stories here, and you can find him on Twitter under the handle @duncangeere.
Latest in Entertainment
Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin Rennovations
Disney’s giving a classic Buzz Lightyear ride a tech overhaul – here's everything you need to know
Robert Downey Jr reveals himself as Doctor Doom to a delighted crowd at San Diego Comic-Con 2024
Marvel has revealed the full, 27-strong cast for Avengers: Doomsday, and there are plenty of heroes who seemingly won't be part of its roster
A collage of Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch and Tatiana Maslany's She-Hulk
Marvel fans are already tired of Doomsday and Secret Wars cast gossip as two more superheroes get linked with roles in the next two Avengers movies
Venezuela's forward #09 Jhonder Cadiz celebrates after scoring during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Ecuador and Venezuela, at the Rodrigo Paz Delgado stadium in Quito, on March 21, 2025 ahead of Venezuela vs Peru
Venezuela vs Peru live stream: how to watch today's FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier anywhere online
The cast of Alone Australia season 3, standing in a knee-high body of water
How to watch Alone Australia season 3 online – stream the survival show from anywhere
This City Is Ours
How to watch This City Is Ours online – stream Sean Bean crime drama from anywhere
Latest in News
Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin Rennovations
Disney’s giving a classic Buzz Lightyear ride a tech overhaul – here's everything you need to know
Hisense U8 series TV on wall in living room
Hisense announces 2025 mini-LED TV lineup, with screen sizes up to 100 inches – and a surprising smart TV switch
Nintendo Music teaser art
Nintendo Music expands its library with songs from Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Tetris
Opera AI Tabs
Opera's new AI feature brings order to your browser tab chaos
An image of Pro-Ject's Flatten it closed and opened
Pro-Ject’s new vinyl flattener will fix any warped LPs you inadvertently buy on Record Store Day
The iPhone 16 Pro on a grey background
iPhone 17 Pro tipped to get 8K video recording – but I want these 3 video features instead