Scientists at Tokyo University have created a video art work that lets viewers interact as never before with film. Whilst for most films a viewers engagement is passive and linear, the Khronos projector allows people to grab an area or object within the film and cast it back or forward in time. Multiple videos have been used with the technology. Notable examples of interaction include a cityscape, part of which has been thrust forward into night whilst the rest is in broad daylight, and a water fountain whose plume had been seized and moved about.

Whilst the grabbing has thus far been done either with a mouse or tablet or a large touch screen, the creators hope ultimately to house the technology behind a ‘organic-feeling…deformable’ screen. Those interacting with it could then use their hands or a tool such as a stick to poke and prod objects through time as they wished. Interestingly, small projectiles such as tiny pebbles could be thrown at the screen, causing water-like time ripples.