A researcher demonstrates the iPoint
Presenter, which detects the position of multiple fingers and responds to their
changes
A man stands in front of a large screen, gesticulating in a hecticmanner. As if
by magic, images suddenly appear on the display. Theirmovements follow the
actor’s gestures, rotate at the slightest turn ofa finger, and become larger or
smaller as desired. This scene will lookfamiliar to anyone who has watched the
sci-fi film Minority Report.Now, a new system promises to turn it into reality.
Called theiPoint Presenter, the system will be demonstrated at CeBIT 2008,
theworld’s largest IT fair which begins Tuesday in Hanover.
At theheart of the system - developed by Paul Chojecki, project manager
atFraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications in Germany - is a set ofcameras
that enable the computer to observe the person standing infront of the
projection screen. The moment this person moves his hands,the computer reacts –
without being touched at all.
“It beginsby determining the position of the user’s index finger, then
followsits movements,” Chojecki explains. The user can point to buttons or
usegestures to move virtual objects.
Through “multi-pointinginteraction” - or commands using multiple fingers - he
can rotate,enlarge or minimise objects. This requires neither special gloves
norany particular markings. Anyone can intuitively operate the device withtheir
bare hands without any preparation whatsoever.
The iPointhas many possible applications, Chojecko says. Apart from video
games,it could potentially replace touchscreens at info terminals, or help
toedit and organise photos.
“What is special about it is thatthe human-computer communication is entirely
contact-free. The systemis therefore ideal for scenarios in which contact
between the user andthe computer is not allowed or not possible, such as in an
operatingtheatre,” says Chojecki.
A particularly useful feature is thatthe system can be extended to as many as
nine cameras. This immenselyincreases the user’s operating range and enables
them to interact withvery large screens, such as those at trade fairs or
advertising events.
Identifying Gestures
Gesturesenable people of different nationalities to communicate without theneed
for spoken words. So how useful would it be if this type ofcommunication were
also possible between humans and technical devices?
Drivers,for example, could operate their car radios more easily, and
homeappliances would need only a snap of your fingers. The system couldalso be
of help to physically disabled people, enabling them tointeract with a computer
without the need for a mouse and keyboard.
The
GestureID system recognises and understands human gestures to carry out
tasks accordingly, such as activating a car’s GPS system
To translate this into reality, researchers at the FraunhoferInstitute for
Digital Media Technology (IDMT) are teaching computers tounderstand human
gestures and automatically recognise different handsignals.
“Our technique mimics the way in which humans seethings,” explains IDMT project
manager Valiantsin Hardzeyeu. “In acomputer simulation, we modelled the
processes taking place in thehuman visual apparatus - from the point where the
photons hit theretina to the stage in which they are processed in the visual
cortex.”
Afirst prototype, which comprises an ‘intelligent’ camera connected to
acomputer with this new type of pattern recognition software, will bepresented
at CeBIT. The camera will record visitors’ gestures, and thesoftware behind it
will analyse them and convert the hand signals intomachine commands.
In the blink of an eye
Across the globe, a Japanese researcher has developed a system that lets people
operate their gadgets with the flick of an eye.
Thesystem – dubbed ‘Kome Kami Switch’ or ‘Temple Switch’ – comprises
asingle-chip computer and a couple of infrared sensors to monitormovements of
the temple. It is so tiny that it can be built into theside of a pair of
eyeglasses, says the device’s developer, KazuhiroTaniguchi.
As a person does not have to move either hand, thesystem can serve as “a third
hand” for caregivers, rock-climbers,astronauts and motorbike drivers, as well
as people with disabilities.
A model wears
the ‘Kome Kami Switch’ on her ear. The system lets users operate gadgets such
as iPods by simply blinking
For example, closing both eyes for one second starts an
iPod, whileblinking again stops the machine. A wink with the right eye makes
themachine skip to the next tune, while it goes back with a wink of theleft eye.
“Youdon’t have to worry about the system moving incorrectly, as it picks
upsignals when you close your eyes firmly. You can use this when you’reeating
or chatting with someone,” says Taniguchi.
The system can easily differentiate a deliberate one-second wink from natural
blinking.
“Normally,you blink in an energy-saving manner - very quickly and lightly. But
tooperate a device, you would close your eyes more firmly,” Taniguchiexplains.
The Kome Kami Switch is also capable of operatingtelevision sets, air
conditioners, room lighting and other householdelectronics. The research team
want to launch a venture in two to threeyears to commercialise the switch.
Taniguchi hopes the systemcan eventually be adapted to run cellphones,
wheelchairs and robots as“an ultimate remote control” used in everyday life.
With agency inputs
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