Reports are in that Apple has acquired the 3D motion sensing tech company, PrimeSense. The Israeli pioneer developed the technology behind Microsoft’s original Kinect camera but will not be integrated in the next generation of the Kinect. We can’t help but think PrimeSense may power the much hyped iTV to enable gesture controls in the living room.
Tag: gesture
Gesture Everything: Leap Motion Controller
Kinect was fun for gamers, and enticing to marketers for out of home installations. Now it’s time for “the Kinect on steroids,” known as the Leap Motion Controller. The controller is set to launch at retail on May 13th, but lucky individuals are getting to see it in action at SXSW this week with a host of compatible software by a range of developers. The early enthusiasm over the device is, at least partially, owed to its ability to detect changes in motion as small as 1mm, but this sharp precision is of concern as it can cause readings to be less smooth than desired. The technology is still in its infancy, and improvements are on the way via software developers, but as it stands, the Leap Motion Controller certainly offers something to look forward to as an out-of-home marketing must-have waiting to happen.
Hand Recognition Coming To Kinect
With an updated SDK expected in a few weeks, Microsoft’s Kinect will incorporate hand gesture recognition which will allow for more sophisticated interactions like pinch-to-zoom. We’ve seen this functionality with the much-hyped Leap Motion but Kinect is far and away the leader in bringing gesture controls to the mass market.
Leap Motion Partners With Best Buy, Asus
When this video of Leap Motion’s motion sensing technology came out, there was plenty of buzz from the tech community and rightly so. Based on the demo, Leap Motion appeared to be a game changer for gesture controls, enabling a level of sophistication previously reserved for the keyboard. But how would it perform under real world settings? What are some of the applications? How will it affect UI? While many of these questions are largely unanswered–Leap Motion is still only accepting preorders–we now know that they are looking for mainstream adoption thanks to a recent partnership with Best Buy. According to Techcrunch, the startup will now be selling their Leap controller on their site and Best Buy in addition to shipping it with new Asus PCs in 2013.
Primesense To Debut ‘Capri’ Camera At CES
Primesense, the 3D technology provider behind Microsoft Kinect, is set to launch a smaller, more sophisticated camera debuting at CES. Named the Capri, the 3D motion sensing device is expected to be 10x smaller than the Kinect making it capable of embedding in laptops, tablets and smartphones. It will also boast improved algorithms and sensing capabilities. With more devices being powered through gestures, Primesense’s Capri could be a breakthrough for media, gaming, healthcare industries among others. Take a look at their most recent YouTube demonstration to see some of the more common applications.
