Japan: NEC unveils gesture touchless controlling device. Controls your TV,mobile phone and tablet. Video.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Japan: NEC unveils gesture touchless controlling device. Controls your TV,mobile phone and tablet.

Japanese technology titan NEC has unveiled a gadget that allows users to control their TV, mobile phone or tablet computer using a virtual input device.

The company said a camera that recognises three-dimensional shapes and their movements will combine with a projector that could show the image of an input device -- such as a keyboard -- on almost any surface.

Users can then gesture at the projected image to move an electronic file or play a video, with the movement of their hand relayed back to the device they want to control.

"With the recent expansion of cloud-based services, information terminals have become increasingly diversified, ranging from PCs to smartphones and tablet devices," a company statement said Tuesday.

"However, the presentation of information is limited to the displays on such devices, and operation needs to be performed with the use of an input device such as a remote control, mouse or touchscreen.

"Using this technology, multiple devices can be controlled based on a user's movements, without the use of an input device, producing interfaces that boast more natural interaction."

NEC said it hoped to develop the technology so that it could be used with devices that do not have displays, including lights and air conditioners, raising the prospect of a home controlled largely by waving.

Press Release:

NEC Develops Technology Enabling Gesture-Based Control of Information

Tokyo, May 15, 2012 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) announced today the development of an interactive technology that allows the control of information through a combination of user gestures and the display of images from a projector.

The newly-developed technology is controlled through the combination of a movable camera, which measures and recognizes three-dimensional shapes, and a compact image projector. In addition to enabling the gesture-based control of information between devices, without the use of an input device such as a remote control or mouse, images that facilitate input, such as a keyboard image, can be flexibly displayed in a wide range of locations. This results in natural interactions that are intuitive and allow users to easily see the effect of their actions.

The features of this newly-developed technology are described below.

1. Achieves intuitive operation by integrating gesture-based input and image projection

A camera that measures three-dimensional shapes is used to recognize the movement and shape of the hands and fingers as control input. This means that tasks such as the movement of data between terminals and the control of devices can be performed without the use of an input device such as a remote control, mouse or keyboard. Further, images from the compact image projector that facilitate input, such as a keyboard or selected photo, can be projected onto a variety of surfaces such as a desk or a user's hand, achieving natural interaction where the results of operations are readily understood. 

2. Achieves a wide range of high-precision control through a movable camera and projector.

The movable measurement camera and projector are controlled in an integrated fashion. As a result, high-precision input and images can be projected while tracking a user's gesture-based movements over a wide range. Additionally, the locations of multiple distant devices can be specified to enable control. 

With the recent expansion of cloud-based services, information terminals have become increasingly diversified, ranging from PCs to smartphones and tablet devices. However, the presentation of information is limited to the displays on such devices, and operation needs to be performed with the use of an input device such as a remote control, mouse or touchscreen.

Using this technology, multiple devices can be controlled based on a user's movements, without the use of an input device, producing interfaces that boast more natural interaction. Looking ahead, NEC will also develop a range of applied technologies, such as the free gesture-based control of digital signage, and the operation of lights, air conditioners and other devices not equipped with displays.