giddytailor33: iPad Kinect-like tech to be shown off at CES

Thursday, December 23, 2010

iPad Kinect-like tech to be shown off at CES

Motion sensor dock getting Vegas demo
iPad Kinect-like tech to be shown off at CES. tablets, Kinect, ipad, Elliptic Labs 0

Elliptic Labs are to show off an iPad-flavoured demo of their Touchless Gesture User Interface technology at CES 2011.

The technology allows you to control a tablet device (in this case, the iPad) using just hand gestures - in a similar way to the motion controls that come with Kinect.

Elliptic Labs had shown off a similar demo with a unbranded device at IFA back in September, but now it is ready with a prototype model for the world's most famous tablet.

Using ultrasound tech, the dock creates a field around the iPad called the "touchless zone" which is around 35cm in front and around the display.

"The idea is that you use touchless gestures to operate primary functions of a docked tablet in situations like when you have wet or greasy hands in the kitchen," said Elliptic Labs CEO Stian Aldrin.

"In general tablets are made for being handheld. When it is docked you are often walking or standing further away, and then using a finger on the screen involves a change of modality.

"Rather than bending down, leaning forward or picking it up you can use larger movements a little bit further away to do things like volume up or next song without changing modality."

The tech on show at CES will work in tandem with an App on board the tablet, and could essentially work with just about any touchscreen device.