First-Person Nanotechnology Game

Modern PC gaming often battles with storage capacity, as new titles consume increasingly larger amounts of drive space. At the current rate, the only game destined to fit on my dwindling C drive would likely be a minuscule shooting game crafted in a Japanese lab.

Fortunately, a groundbreaking game has recently been developed. A team from the School of Engineering at Nagoya University in Japan introduced the world’s smallest shooting game, utilizing nanoparticles that are crucially sized at one billionth of a meter during real-time play.

Reported by phys.org, the unnamed game (tentatively referred to as Subspace Invaders) is an innovative mixed-reality experience where a digital controller interacts with physical objects. The game centers around nanoscale polystyrene spheres that are digitally controlled by an electron beam, creating a gameplay experience that resembles manipulating a triangular spaceship on a screen where these nanoparticles are displayed. The player shoots at these polystyrene orbs, representing adversaries.

Professor Takayuki Hoshino, who led the research team, explained the mechanics: “The system projects the game ship onto real nanophysical space as an optical image and force field, creating an MR where nanoparticles and digital elements interact. The player controls a ship, firing at real nanoparticles to repel them, showcasing real-time interaction between digital data and physical nano-objects.”

The game’s creation was driven by the team’s desire to demonstrate their capabilities in manipulating nano-scale objects, which could have significant real-world applications. “We could potentially 3D print the created objects in real-time, revolutionizing the future of 3D printing,” noted Hoshino. He also illustrated the potential for using similar guidance techniques to direct toxic agents toward virus cells for treatment.

A video demonstration of the technology can be viewed above. While the current version of the game may require further refinement before its potential inclusion in gaming competitions, its demonstration of nanotechnology is undeniably impressive.