Call me old fashioned, but I still don’t get this whole gesture control movement that is being adopted for TV’s and other devices.  I get the use of it in video games — it’s more fun playing tennis in a video game when you get to at least swing something instead of just pressing a button.  There is that associated action of swinging your arm and playing tennis.  The problem is, I don’t have any motion or movement that I would like to associate with TV viewing.  Like what’s the thumb’s up gesture associated with? What was the hand wave for page up again?

This doesn’t seem to phase Microsoft and their Project Natal for the X-Box 360.  Yeah, I know Project Natal is originally for playing games but some recent talk from Microsoft shows that they are extremely interested in using Natal as a complete input for your home theater.  Granted they also want you to run that entire theater through an X-Box 360 of course.  With services like SkyTV and Netflix they want to provide all of your media content which you could control via your Natal, or Project Natal, or whatever it will actually be called.

Having your media content centralized in a single place is awesome, I love my XMBC setup but I don’t feel I need any special way to interact with it except for my remote control.  Now to be fair, Microsoft is actually touting the facial recognition and voice recognition as the main way to control your media via Natal, but do I really need a 360 and Natal for that?  The facial recognition is nice since everyone one has different tastes and you can have custom content for each user.  The voice recognition on the other hand, isn’t too special.  My Macbook has been able to recognize voice commands for a few years now, if I wanted to I could easily set all that up myself.  In fact that is a good idea, I think I’ll go do that now.

Bowling can be pretty frustrating — unless you have those awesome bumpers we used at my 5th birthday party.   I’ve always wanted to bowl a perfect game like Mort Goldman, but to be honest I think the LHC has a better chance of actually getting started first. Until now. With the RC900, a remote control bowling ball from 900 Global I could cheat my way there.

The RC900 uses internal mechanism to control the direction the ball rolls. For those who like to roll in style, it also has flashing lights.  Of course you have to charge a battery in the ball, but if that wears you out, you can launch it from from a ramp instead of getting up out of your seat.

Normally we’re pretty big on remote controlled gadgets, but the RC900 just takes the fun out of the game.  Still, if your an amateur and your goal is roll a 300, then the RC900 may be right up your alley.

P.S.  Holding back on the Big Lebowski jokes thanks to Gizmodo…

I like the Wii just as much as the next guy — but it starts to wear after a while. Jumping around and swinging that remote is fun for some games, but in the end I’m pretty sure its a passing novelty. The people at Canesta seem to agree with the fun part, but also seem to think that motion control is here to stay. Canesta’s new motion sensing chips are looking to add full-body 3-D gestures to computers, games, and a few other devices.

Canesta’s technology uses cameras to detect motion, which can then be interpreted as control gestures. I suppose you could use gestures to control anything if you really wanted — handstand for rewind or maybe a roundhouse kick to turn on your TV.  Okay, maybe not. But CanestaVision could be used in a ton of different awesome and creative ways. I’m just not sure it will ever become a common-place form of control.

One thing about our device interfaces — whether they be computer keyboards or television remote controls — is that all the buttons are labeled, and each provides a single, unique action. Motion-based controls lack this clarity and specificity. With motion-control systems, you have a vision system processing and interpreting your movements. Unfortunately, interpretation means there is room for error. Moreover, users have to learn a set of gestures that they will have to repeat accurately in order to get the desired results — and there is no built in list of choices as we get with a keyboard, for example.

I think Canesta has a great technology, but making people move around to do things like channel surfing just isn’t going to happen. Microsoft will be using a similar technology in their Project Natal for the Xbox 360, which makes more sense to me. Of course no one says you can’t add motion controls to augment existing systems, but there is a reason we still use keyboards and such.

Still, I could be wrong. Perhaps in the future this is what it will be like to type out a report for school. Then we can say that the computers have learned to control us, for they will be the ones quietly standing by while we exert all the effort.

Dungeon Masters around the world must be celebrating at the possibility of giving their dungeons a touchscreen makeover.  Indeed, it seems that everything is more fun on a touchscreen — or at least the group at the Entertainment Technology Center of Carnegie Mellon must think so. They have made a very expensive update to the humble “table-top” game, using Dungeons & Dragons as a proof of concept on Microsoft’s Surface.

I am willing to bet the idea of playing Dungeons & Dragons on Surface came up a million times during development at Microsoft (after all, this guy definitely played when he was younger).  Now I have never actually played Dungeons & Dragons, so I can’t comment on how legit this version is, but it does look like a nice update to the classic game.  Menus and controls take full advantage of the touchscreen and look great even though it is only a work in progress.

Thanks to the iPhone and iPod touch touchscreens have proven that they are a viable gaming/control platform. Still, this would actually be one of the most expensive game consoles ever, but that’s only because Surface is still unreasonable for any buyers other than hotels.  Who knows — maybe there is a strong market for people who want more features then paper cuts and are too old for MagiQuest.

Surfacescapes Demo Walkthrough from Visual Story TAs on Vimeo.

Have you ever thought about what the future of the computer mouse might be? Frankly the mouse hasn’t even changed much over the years, and I have come to take for granted its role as the reliable computer pointing device (and the best for controller for FPS). Of course with all the hype about touch screens and other new technologies, I try to keep an open mind. Meanwhile, some of the geniuses at Microsoft Research have had other ideas. They have been trying to help the lowly computer mouse along by creating mashing-up  with some of the these new technologies. And the results are pretty weird.

Microsoft demoed five new multitouch mice called the FTIR, Orb Mouse, Cap Mouse, “Side” Mouse, and — weirdest of them all — the “Arty” Mouse. Let me just say this up front: I don’t think I (or anyone else) would really want to use one of these mice for more than a minute or two. Sure, they might be fun to play with at an electronics show — but only for curiosity’s sake.  There doesn’t really seem to be any actual need to have multitouch on a mouse — it just makes the mouse complex and kind of awkward.

From the Top: Cap Mouse, Side Mouse, Arty Mouse, Orb Mouse, FTIR Mouse

Here’s the breakdown. The Cap Mouse just seems to be a laptop track pad wrapped around a mouse — so, not too ground breaking. The FTIR and Orb Mouse work by illuminating your hand and fingers, and then using a camera to detect input. While cameras are an interesting way to collect the user input, who really needs to pinch zoom this much?  The “Arty” mouse is a weird little creature: it has two pads that extend and move away from the body of the mouse.  Each pad has an optical sensor in it as for detecting fingers and presses.  In the video demo of  “Arty” the only use appears to be to continuously make the pinch zoom gesture over and over again.

What about Side Mouse? To me, this is the only one that actually piques some interest. Instead of pressing buttons on the mouse you rest your palm on it and instead tap the surface of the table. The Side Mouse uses proximity sensing technology to determine the position of your fingers and the gestures you are making. In the video you can see how this could work with Microsoft’s Surface OS. Surprise: they use a whole slew of pinch gestures.

Are we likely to see these mice in stores anytime soon? My guess is no. This is a classic research center project — a lot of engineering time and money put into incremental improvements with little practical value. After all, why would anyone want to use a “touch” mouse with the Surface OS? The touch screen itself seems like enough. I’m sure they’ll file a bunch of patents — thus preemting innovations with more practical value from stealing the show.

If you dig a little on the Internet, it’s not too difficult to find prototype devices or interfaces that use your brain as a controller. There are videos left and right from companies and researchers trying to perfect and to capitalize on this novel method of control. The issue is that few companies have actually released any commercial brain control products — or if they have, those products haven’t been for the average consumer. This month Mattel broke that mold with a simple, fun, and relatively affordable game called Mind Flex.

2009 Mind Flex Champion

The premise of Mind Flex is to raise or lower a floating ball by concentrating or relaxing respectively. The Mind Flex kit contains an assortment of games, but typically it is a circular obstacle course through which you have navigate a small ball.  Unfortunately you don’t move ball left or right with your mind — only up and down. There is a dial that controls the position of a fan that blows a column of air, and it is this air column actually lifts and suspends the ball in flight. You control the fan speed – and thus the height of the ball — with your concentration. To progress horizontally through the course you must turn the dial at the base of the game that advances ball.

Of course there is a catch: you can’t just stare really hard at the ball and expect it to move. Instead you have to put on a headband and some ear clips.  The headset sensors and ear lob clips measure theta-wave activity in your brain. Theta waves correlate directly to your level of concentration, so the more theta wave activity, the higher the ball will rise. In the end, the brain control aspect of the game is limited, but given that the technology is still relatively young, it is nice to see it in practice.

It's just you and me ball...

The technology in Mind Flex comes to us courtesy of NeuroSky, a developer of brain-computer interface technologies. Developers with an interest in this kind of thing will be happy to know that NeuroSky offers development kits so that you can create your own mind-bending products.

Controlling things with our minds has always been the ultimate goal of homo sapiens — at least since the Jedi figured it out. Mind Flex may be just a fun game — but it is also a sign of things to come. Brain Control technology has progressed a long way in a relatively short time, recently finding applications in many fields including assistance for the disabled. Even so, we still have quite a lot of ground to cover before reliable brain control systems become practical.

It seems like my childhood gets lamer every day that passes, and it wasn’t even that long ago.  I remember playing Duck Hunt and being completely awed and mystified by the magic toy for shooting ducks on TV.  Now I read about crazy new toys that talk to your kids and read them stories, I feel like I missed out.  Then I happen upon the Worlds Largest Live Action Game — MagiQuest — and realize that when I have kids of my own and tell what I did for fun when I was their age, I’ll sound like a cave man.

This Kid Just Leveled Up

MagiQuest is a chain of “Kingdoms and Portals” around the US where kids can go and with help of a magic wand (remote) they can complete quests in their own adventure.  The really cool part about MagiQuest — besides the big castles and dragons of course — is the magic wand remote which has to be purchased but is yours to keep. The wand is used to interact with the environment and complete quests, which gives the wand the new abilities which can then be used for other quests.  The adventures are saved on a chip in the wand and can actually work at all MagiQuest locations so you can take your adventure on the road (including, apparently, Japan).

Dragon Attack! Defensive Perimeter!

This seems like it would be a lot of fun for kids and probably adults too. I’ve seen wands used for other things that didn’t really make sense, but MagiQuest seems like they have created quiet a unique experience with their remote wands.  People keep finding new fun ways to use technology for kids and I’m pretty excited (but slightly jealous) to see what’s around the corner.

Wii fans — brace yourselves as your beloved Wiimote goes mainstream. Or maybe not…

Philips is set to unveil the uWand, a TV (and PC) remote looks a little (and works a lot) like your Wii Remote‘s cousin.

According to Rapid TV News editorial director Chris Forrester, Philips will demonstrate its uWand remote control for both TV and PC platforms for the first time at IBC2009 in mid-September. Philips began working on the concepts and technology behind uWand in 1999 and formally announced its development in 2006.

uWand is a remote control shaped handheld direct pointer, that also delivers 3D capabilities, with the same intuitiveness as a multi-touch screen. A special camera embedded in the uWand allows users directly interact with TV or PC by pointing, clicking and making fluid 3D gestures (part computer mouse, part Wii Remote, part couch potato).

This reminds us a little PrimeSense technology (noted in an earlier post) whose 3D sensing system allows you to control your TV through physical gestures. uWand isn’t nearly as creepy as the Prime Sensor because it’s doesn’t “watch” the people controlling it; it “watches” the device it’s controlling.

While the demonstration at IBC will be limited to TV and PC applications, Philips claims that the uWand could control almost anything, including set-top boxes, media players, game consoles, lighting systems, digital photo frames, et cetera.

Reportedly, Philips already has commercial deals in place with device manufacturers and technology providers. Like most of the new control systems we see, its developers claim that there are applications in fields like medicine and education. The real issue as we see it is lack of compatibility with all the devices you already own. Will the uWand pan out? We’ll be watching…

Video: EETimes

Sometimes, using a remote control requires more than just your thumb.

Lots of people – from grade schoolers in gym class to senior citizens in nursing homes – are relying on the Nintendo Wii to play a virtual game and get a real workout.

In the Wall Street Journal’s Mossberg Solution, Katherine Boehret reports that after three years of astounding success, Wii sales are finally on the decline. In an effort to turn to counteract that trend, the company has introduced a new module to make playing Wii games more lifelike and realistic.

The Wii MotionPlus includes a gyroscope that detects the player’s slightest twists and motions and translates them to the screen. It costs $20 by itself or $50 when bundled with the Wii Sports Resorts game, a bundle of 12 different sports tailored for the MotionPlus.

Boehret reports that the MotionPlus “adds a much more satisfying, realistic element to Wii games” and says that “if you’re hoping to give your tired Wii a boost, you’ll like what the relatively inexpensive Wii MotionPlus accessory brings to your game – though you’ll also need to buy new games that work with it.”

Here’s Katie’s video review:

Our take? It’s pretty amazing how many sensors companies are building into products these days. For example, the original iPhone had 5 sensors: proximity (to turn off the display when the phone was close to your ear), 3-axis accelerometer (for motion sensing), 2 photosensors (one for brightness control, and the other to take pictures – yes, the camera), and of course the famous capacitive touchscreen. Then the 3G added GPS, and the count was 6. The new iPhone 3GS went to 7 with the inclusion of a magnetometer (compass). To keep up with the Wii, will Apple need to add a gyroscope (to sense orientation) as well?

As MacNN reported yesterday, the USPTO recently granted patent 7,566,858 to Apple. This patent helps remote control systems “distinguish predetermined light sources from stray light sources” and relates specifically to the Apple TV.

Like the vast majority of home entertainment device remotes, the controller bundled with the Apple TV uses infrared signals. These are low cost and relatively easy to implement, but they have some issues. One is that infrared signals cannot penetrate opaque objects, and so require “line of sight.” Another is that there are other everyday sources of infrared radiation, so the “noise level” can be high, limiting effective range. Perhaps the most common source of infrared radiation is sunlight, so you may have noticed that your TV remote works better at night than when the sun is pouring in at noonday.

For simple commands (power on/off, changing the volume, etc), this noise is not much of a problem. But for more complicated applications — those sending more information in each signal — noise from sunlight or reflections from other remote controls can cause a problem, and Apple now has a patent on a method to remedy the situation.

What kinds of applications might these be? Glad you asked. The Nintendo Wii actually uses two kinds of technology in its remote controls. It uses Bluetooth — a radio frequency signal — to send information about button presses and accelerometer data, but it also uses good old infrared for motion tracking, as this (very cool) video from Johnny Chung Lee at Carnegie Mellon shows:

Is this another spoke in the wheel of Apple’s possible plans to turn the Apple TV into a stealth gaming device, perhaps with iPhone or iPod touch controllers?