Toshiba's Cambridge Research Lab shows off gesture-controlled TVs, image recognition

Toshiba is pulling an EyeToy, minus a diabolical plan to actually sell the thing and make a killing off of collectable elemental decks. The company's Cambridge-based Research Lab has some new video camera-based feature they're prototyping for possible eventual TV implementation. The real highlight is a fist-based cursor control -- just stick out your hand, make a fist, and control a cursor on-screen for navigating the TV's functions. You can also put up your palm to stop the madness, and even rotate 3D images on-screen, but it's all a little shaky for now. Another thing we saw was picture recognition: hold up a cue card to the TV with an image on it and the TV recognizes it and performs a pre-assigned function. Tosh is also working on speech recognition and some other things; not really changing the world, but some fun stuff all the same.

Gallery: Toshiba's Cambridge Research Lab shows off gesture-controlled TVs, image recognition

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[Blackstar @ Aug 29th 2008 12:06PM]

I got a gesture for ya. Can you hear this? Would you like me to turn it up?

[OneLove @ Aug 29th 2008 12:07PM]

fail!

[phanbouy @ Aug 29th 2008 1:19PM]

can you fail me now? good!

[Jason @ Aug 29th 2008 6:38PM]

Dammit you could have made that funny!! Now nobody gets to make a finger joke. Thanks, Blackstar, for RUINING it for everbody!!

[Blackstar @ Aug 30th 2008 5:12AM]

:D Your welcome.

People need to watch more classic comedies I guess. ;)

[vypergts @ Aug 29th 2008 1:32PM]

This will be crazy for digital signage. It's one step closer to Minority Report-style advertising.

[TheLostVikings @ Aug 29th 2008 1:49PM]

So basically a camera that is watching you 100% of the time? 1984 here we come.

[ShadowMaker @ Aug 29th 2008 2:19PM]

You: "This isn't the channel I'm looking for" - waves hand
TV: "This isn't the channel you're looking for"

[John Stracke @ Aug 29th 2008 2:20PM]

Just don't hook a Wii up to it; it'll start interpreting your gaming motions.

[DQKennard @ Aug 29th 2008 2:23PM]

Oh, great. I go off on some rant at the TV news, and set off random TV functions. As I type this, however, maybe a case could be made that it could be for the best: if I'm waving my arms at some idiotic thing some idiot is saying on the idiot TV (Brian Ross, I'm thinking of you), maybe the TV *should* change the channel to something like yoga. Breathe in. Breathe out. Calm Down. There should be a 24 hour yoga or tai chi channel for that very purpose.

[Mark 2000 @ Aug 29th 2008 2:33PM]

Its too bad with cable boxes, tivos, and media centers its rare you ever use the TV's own remote control.

[david @ Aug 29th 2008 2:56PM]

I highly suggest not watching porn on this TV.

[Al @ Aug 29th 2008 4:25PM]

In Soviet Russia, TV watches YOU!

[azs @ Aug 29th 2008 7:34PM]

I can tell that guy with a beard and glasses is a Mac user.

[loosely_coupled @ Aug 29th 2008 8:33PM]

All these hardware manufacturing companies need to just focus on producing great hardware and leave user interface development to the experts. It blows my mind that so many consumer electronics products come out each year with such horrid user interfaces that average consumers find almost impossible to use. There has to be hundreds of thousands of talented, user interface design experts in the world! Why won't all the Japanese and Taiwanese CE companies hire them???? After the success of Apple's computers, the iPod line and especially now the iPhone, you'd think that hardware companies would start to understand that people don't want to use products with shoddy, confusing interfaces. They want the software and user interface to be as sleek and well-designed as the hardware!