 |
Podtech Gesture Research Turns Hand Into Mouse
Experimental gesture recognition software from PodTech can turn your hand into a computer mouse that can control your computer.
(PodTech gesture control software)
The video of ex-Microsoft evangelist Robert Scoble provided below shows how it works. A camera focused on the user's hand above the keyboard detects when the user touches his forefinger to his thumb. When that "circle" is made, the software maps the gesture to the screen, allowing control in the same way that a mouse can drag and drop, and so forth.
(Podtech research clip)
Gesture recognition using video frames grabbed in real time has been around since the early 1990's. The interesting thing about this story (to me) is not necessarily the PodTech software, but the fact that now all of the hardware components (built-in cameras, powerful processors) are standard equipment on many computers, and are cheap in any case.
(Your new mouse-hand is ready)
You won't need expensive setups like the otherwise cool Minority Report Glove Interface From Raytheon, to say nothing about millions of dollars in movie magic like the Wired Glove Interface Display from Steven Spielberg's Minority Report. You might still need a glove to talk to your gun or other weapon; see the Handwear Computer Input Device Combat Glove.
Via Adrenaline Vault; read about more Vision-Based Hand Gesture Recognition Systems. Thanks to The Sabre Runner for the tip on this story.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 4/6/2007)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 2 )
Related News Stories - (" Display ")
WatchSense Perfect For Fat-Fingered Smartwatch Owners
'Now all you had to do was wave your hand in the general direction of the components...' - Douglas Adams, 1979.
Transparent OLED TV By Panasonic
It's the look of things to come.
Cicret Makes Your Skin Into A Display
'On the translucent mica-like coverings over the orifices, appeared reddish characters...' - Schachner and Zagat, 1931.
Organic Photonic Skin Display
'A strip of readout skin on my wrist...' - John Varley, 1992.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Current News
TALOS Exoskeleton Development Proceeding
'Suited up, you look like a big steel gorilla...'
Autonomous Robots Navigate Like Rats
'Out of warrens in the wall, tiny robot mice darted.'
SINTEF Robot Cleans Solar Panels
'The window cleaners, with large padded feet...'
Pangorin Restaurant Service Robots
What'll you have? Jawa juice?
Drug Creates Real Melanin Tan
I've used them all my life...
Medical Drones Hover Like Angels Near You
'The death-reversal equipment is on its way...'
SkEye Amazing Israeli Gigapixel Drone
'An eye that could not only see, but fly...'
How Rude! DARPA Wants Robots To Behave More Like Threepio
'Do I know protocol? Why, it's my primary function.'
'Liquid Light' Flows Around Corners
Light as a superfluid.
Unrolling The Filmy Materials Of Space Tech
'When unfolded and unrolled... it became a tough, gleaming film.'
Buddy Companion Robot Your Bulbous Friend
'Nanny was built in the shape of a sphere, a large metal sphere, flattened on the bottom...'
Poli-X1 Prototype Bee Pollinator
Is there anything drones can't do?
Bake in Space Bake-Off... In Space!
'A joyous condition commenced for the cook in the electric kitchen...'
DeepMind AI Baffled By Homer Simpson, Needs Human Help
'Whenever a robot finds something it can't identify straight off...'
Does Earth's Middle Mantle Hold Oceans Of Water?
Al Gore, you have no idea.
Vaccine Blocks Heroin High
'You're biochemically incapable of getting off...'
