Now Pranav Mistry wants to be a film director!

A PhD student in the Fluid Interfaces Group at MIT's Media Lab, Pranav Mistry claimed his share of fame and appreciation at the TED India, Mysore. The Gujarat-born genius, passionate about integrating the digital and real-world interactions, says that he is only a designer, a users' advocate.

In a casual chat with Akanksha Prasad of CIOL during the EmTech India 2010 at Bangalore recently, Pranav talks about his plans, life back home and future.

After the invention of sixth sense technology, what is the next in your agenda?

Pranav Mistry: Many people keep asking me this; there are a lot of things in the agenda. We are working on further cutting down on the hardware. At present the projector in the sixth sense is as big as a pendant. It includes a projector, camera and a mirror. We want to reduce its size to that of a button. Also, we are working on replacing the projector with a laser projector, which has a more focused beam.

Another aspect is replacing the projector with a speaker. This would be helpful for people with speech disability. Common man is not able to decipher the sign languages of such people. So, based on the sign language (the hand movements), the speaker would give out the message.

During TED India, Mysore, you talked about bringing the technology on open source. What is the whole idea behind it and what has been the progress in that front?

PM: Yes, the main idea is to provide the basic engine to people and help them develop their own products. More availability will bring more usage of the technology. Because I believe that such a power with the people can be disruptive for economy but and encouraging for the common user.

Secondly, I am a designer, who works on technology. For me it is difficult to take the product out in market single-handedly. Making a product is just 10 per cent of it, while there are a lot other factors like marketing, sales and many more.

Months back, I had announced about making it available on the open source, but one of the major challenges that I have been facing is that a lot of programs have been made on proprietary platforms.

Could you tell us something about MIT Media Labs and its significance?

PM: MIT Media Labs is a department of MIT School comprising researchers from various fields such as architecture, design,music and technology. It is a great place to learn and grow, with eminent personalities like Nicholas Negroponte and Marvin Minsky.

How long do you plan to be associated with the Media Labs? What are your plans beyond that; would you join back as a professor or launch your own venture?

PM: If given an opportunity I would never leave this place. So far, I have more than one and half a year to go. But I have no idea of what I will be doing after this. I would not become a professor or start my own. I may leave the entire technology world and become a painter or become a movie director!

Apart from technology, what are your likes and dislikes? How active you are in the social networking?

PM: Ping Pong is my favorite game. I am part of the local team here at MIT and have never lost a game. We even played at the university level. Apart form this, I enjoy watching movie, traveling, catching up with friends for theatre shows.

I am there at various networking sites though not very active; but for me social networking happens in physical world not at Starbucks cafe.

You are getting a lot of appreciation and love from people around. How have things changed in Palanpur (Gujarat), after you hogged to limelight and fame?

PM: This celebrity life is not easy. But nothing has changed for my parents and my hometown Palanpur; nothing has changed at all. I have always been a known name in Palanpur, as I was a meritorious student right from school-days.

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