EtherTouch's 3D sensing interface

Remember how your mouth flung agape when you first saw the gesture controlled computer interface in Spielberg's Minority Report? Now EtherTouch (working with NoKia and MicroSoft among othErs) claims their 3D human machine interface could appear on the market by the end of 2006. The system would allow users to get their Cruise on with a point of the finger to select and zoom the relevant information on the display. And since their system recognizes both position and velocity, it's particularly appealing to the gaming industry. Limits? You betcha. At the moment interaction only works within 1-foot of the display — opening up the possibility of some serious damage to your 102-inch plasma should you succumb to the throes of a GTA pistol-whipping frenzy.

[Via WMMNA]

[Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Is anyone else getting a super-annoying Verizon flash ad that obscures the middle of the screen? I'm using Firefox on WinXP.

[Red @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

That's "throes".

[killverine @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Pistol whip mmmmmmmmm..........

[Thomas Ricker @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Thanks Red, fixed the error.

[Eagle @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Brian, I use Maxthon, a front-end for IE with a builtin popup and content filter and I have never seen this ad. Actually, I think only one on this entire site gets through.

[Thomas @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

A startup in Montreal Canada has already shipped, a similar 3D interface system. They are called SolarisLabs, and anyone at the Digital Retailing Expo in Chicago this spring would have seen them.

http://www.solarislabs.com

[Pat @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I remember seeing a long while back a few collage students somewhere that had actualy made a small usable interactive hologram interface....maybe they sold it to someone?

[MixingMaster3000 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

omg! I don't belive u guys. This thing has had like, practiacally no comments atall, and all the people who have written comments dont sound very interested atall! Am I the only one completely siked over this? and 2006!? that just *cough* rules!

[James @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I still don't get why everyone has a hardon for that UI, it does look kind of cool but it's really impractical for trying to do anything even remotely sophisticated.

[Jesse @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I've already seen such an interface in a museum just a month ago or something, really exciting, my guess was that it had sensors to detirmine the x and y position of your fingers and whether you pushed or not..

you could drag, zoom, click, stuff like that, really cool, i was amazed.. it had some flawes in it that it wasnt precise all the time.. but the software ran from a simple pc..

[Matt @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I am I the only person who thought the interface in Minority Report was a horrible idea? I got tired just watching Tom Cruise use the thing ( I saw it in the theatre there was much had moving required). If I want a hyper efficient intuitive interface, I want something where a minimum number of fast, short movements is required. I don't want to have to walk across the room and get out a ladder to check my e-mail.

[stingraze @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Wow this interface is gonna be just COOOL! and by 2006? that's just amazing.

[jb @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

#11,

I actually thought that the degree of physical movement involved was one of the cool things about the interface in Minority Report, because it provided some exercise while the user performed his tasks. The interface should be optimized so that excessive movement isn't required, but in a world where people are becoming more and more sedentary due to technology, it's good to see a technology that encourages its users to move.

[George Katz @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Pretty cool stuff. Check http://www.lust.nl/home/index0.html. These guys were the first to implement this idea. Actually one of them went to the same school as the Imaginary Forces Mikon van Gastel (creative director for Minority Report). There are some video clips of the project, check em out!