Elliptic Labs Brings 'Minority Report' Gesture Control To Windows 8

newstech

13 Nov

Norwegian company Elliptic Labs has launched a new touch-less gesturing control that uses ultrasound technology to translate hand movements, and bring a 'Minority Report' style implementation to Windows 8.

The system uses "ultrasonic transducers" (sound waves emitted from speakers), which are then picked up by a microphone to track the user's hand movements and interpreted by Elliptic's software, similar to how radar detects objects. Consisting of eight microphones and six speakers, the technology is not limited to detecting movement within camera view -- it detects natural hand movements that extend beyond the camera, surrounding a device screen.

The convenience of this system is through its reliance on sound rather than vision, meaning that gestures can be detected to all sides of the screen and still be operated in both dark and bright spaces.

“Microsoft’s new metro interface changes how consumers interact with the operating system and the design is a perfect fit for touchless gestures. Elliptic’s Windows 8 Gesture Suite gives users a touchless version of the gestures they already know from a touchscreen,” said Tobias Dahl, CTO and founder of Elliptic Labs.

This technology is up to 95% more power efficient than current gestural systems in the market, and is available immediately as a Starter Kit and SDK, meaning the possibilities are endless for user expandability. Don't expect to see it built into laptops for at least 12 to 14 months though, as the technology is still being assessed by OEMs.

“Our Elliptic Windows 8 gestures gives users full control of the new interface by simple intuitive gestures in 3D space, enabling a more natural and efficient way to work.” Tobias commented.