EyeSight's hand-waving, gesture-based UI now available for Android (video)
By Tim Stevens 
posted June 8th 2010 10:28AM
posted June 8th 2010 10:28AM
Sure, the Evo's front-facing camera enables you to call your snookums and let them see your mug while you two exchange sweet nothings. But, wouldn't it be much better if you could tell your phone to talk to the hand? Now it can... at least in theory, with the availability eyeSight libraries for Android. EyeSight's Natural User Interface relies on a phone's camera to detect hand motions, enabling developers to write apps that change tracks, ignore callers, and display text messages with a wave. The down-side is that those apps need to be specifically written to work in this way, and while the libraries have been available for Nokia handsets since last year, right now we're seeing a whopping four programs that use it (including the hugely important "Fart Control," which turns your phone into a "motion detecting fart machine"). So, you should probably not expect a revolution here either. Video demo from the Nokia days is embedded just below. eyeSight Brings Natural User Interface to Android Devices, Creating a New World of Hand Gesture Interaction
eyeSight's Technology Uses the Built-in Camera to Track Hand Gestures and Convert Them Into Commands. It Allows Handset Manufacturers to Expand Their Offerings and Improve User Experience
HERZELIYA, Israel, June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- eyeSight Mobile Technologies, a developer of Natural User Interface (NUI) solutions for mobile phones and consumer electronics devices, launched today an innovative technology allowing Android device manufacturers to offer their clients for the first time control over their handsets by using simple hand gestures.
eyeSight's solution utilizes the device's built-in camera, advanced real-time image processing and machine vision algorithms, to track the user's hand motions and convert them into commands. Users of Android devices can now silence an incoming call, navigate between GPS menus, activate their MP3 player, play games and carry many other tasks by simply swiping their hand over the device.
eyeSight's technology is a pure software solution, highly optimized for mobile platforms, offering low CPU and memory requirements, which directly translate to low power consumption. The expected introduction of new Android devices with front-facing-camera by Motorola, HTC and Google will enable to fully utilize the benefits offered by eyeSight technology. The solution enables users control their phones and navigate in documents, web pages or maps by using gesture recognition technology.
"A good technology is an invisible one. eyeSight's Touch Free Interface technology for Android-based devices introduces exactly that – a new level of interaction that is natural, intuitive and simple to use," said Itay Katz eyeSight's Founder & CEO. "Users are looking for ways to ease, improve and enjoy their day to day interaction with their mobile phone, ideally aiming to gain effortless control of the device's applications and functions, which is where eyeSight's solution comes to place."
eyeSight provides a natural and intuitive way to control portable devices and applications. As the number of applications continues to increase, users spend more time navigating complicated menus. So for instance, when using a mobile navigation system, instead of looking for a specific key or clicking specific areas on the screen, the driver focuses on the road, and controls the device by a simple hand gesture. Moreover, while playing mobile games, eyeSight's technology enables playing by using hand motions emulating real life actions such as - throwing a ball, catching a boomerang, blocking enemy's attacks and more. The technology has been developed to work within many Android phones' apps and provides a new, fun, and exciting way for users to easily control their favorite activities.
About eyeSight
eyeSight Mobile Technologies is an innovative developer of Natural User Interface solutions. eyeSight's technology allows users control mobile devices with a simple hand gesture by using the built-in camera, advanced real-time image processing and machine vision algorithms.
eyeSight specializes in futuristic touch free interfaces for mobile devices developing groundbreaking technology aimed at revolutionizing the way people interact with portable devices.
To schedule a demo of eyeSight NUI technology at CommunicAsia 2010 event in Singapore (June 15-18), please email: CommunicAsia@eyesight-tech.com.
As i Said. Google Android FTW!
@potretr Pretty pointless though really.
@potretr At the risk of sounding like a troll, but this really looked very basic to me, It seemed like he's waving his hand over the camera without any special gestures. I love the idea of "controlling your phone with hand movements by camera" and I think there will be a day where it will be quiet useful, but today is definitely not the day.
@potretr
Yes, Android rules because making idiotic gestures to something that's in my hand is just amazing. So much more amazing than actually...using my other hand to touch it.
Awesome Tech for Google TV , image changing your TV channel from the Sofa by waving ur hand.
Ahem !! So much for laziness.
@potretr It's been on Nokia for a long time now. Wake up engadget
@potretr
Actually it would seem to be Nokia ftw?
While playing with using the prox sensor on the n900, I thought, "gee, the next UI development to get big could be touch-less. Nokia better get on it before mApple 'innovates' it."
And there the solution was all along... If it's not there for Maemo, I may have to go ahead and trade to an E-class.
@potretr
Dear eyeSight,
Thank you for this idea. I will now rebrand it as iSight, make it work 3 times better, and sell it as a revolutionary new feature.
Sincerely,
Steve Jobs
@webdevmike you forgot the "Sent from my iPhone"
@potretr The empire had androids long before google, FTW -- IMHO giving them force powers is just asking for a rebellion. trust me, I know.
@Techno1q, MMS and video recording were basic, Apple attempted to be the "innovators" of those features. I highly doubt that if Apple were the first to think of gesture-based UI, you would think it's, "basic."
@scorpeo Wow, I didn't even mention Apple, and you are almost suggesting that I'm a fanboy of Apple because I said that a possibly new feature in Android is basic? I guess that ought to solve the "who's a fanboy mystery".
P.S. I have two phones, both of them are running Android.
iSight ... eyeSight lol
iFart
@element4life3 wonder what happens if you do that, would be cool if it would stop your music
Where there's a way, there's a fart app.
Mmmmm fart apps.
I see a very complex gesture-system :)
Sweet, it's like I'm using jedi mind tricks on my phone.
may the force be with you, droid.
@DarthSidious *Waves Hand* Theses are not the droids you're looking for.
poor battery life, there you go
@Crank Exactly.... there it goes, you'll have to charge your phone 3 times a day with this enabled.
Hmm... Not a bad idea. My only concern is that I'm not sure if all Android devices will have a good enough front-camera to distinguish your body motion from the rest of the image.
@Darkmast508 As an ultimate activist of the Samsung Galaxy S. I am forced to say ... Evo4G.
Hmmm...the ability to control games with my hand BEHIND the handset and not messing up the smudge magnet screen that's on my Desire.
But does it work for Farmville?!?
I remember Samir (developer from France) created something similar for the Nokia N95 roughly 2 years ago. Great idea! But it made sense on a non-touchscreen phone.
Android FTW though.
This is the stuff I was looking for when they said the EVO was going to have a FFC. Their car app is pretty nice to especially if you dont have voice recognition in your car. You could also make an app that will monitor you as you drive and can alert you if you take your eyes off the road to long. Cant wait to see what else people design for FFC.
I knew that FORCE is real! Lord Vader?
wow no more fingerprints on my touchscreen android device?
Apple needs to implement this quick.
Jobs when camera-based gesturing system comes to Android: It's bad! It's for porn!
Jobs when camera-based gesturing system comes to iPhone: It's good! It's for world peace and saving puppies!
this has the greatest chance to be hugely anoying,but fun at the same time,can image getting a call from a friend with the following remarks
friend:did you call me ?
you:no i just farted,sorry was a mistake.
anyways i got to ask this before anyone else does.....Can! it! run! Crysis2! ?!
This is so cool, Im just one step closer to feeling like Tom Cruise in Minority Report. I hope Apple does not get to this technology first. Android FTW.
"Video demo from the Nokia days is embedded just below"
Nokia days are right now.