14 DAY TRIAL // The remote control is probably one of the most important devices ever developed, as it adds an extra level of convenience to the already pleasurable experience of watching TV, listening to music, recording TV programs, etc. However, it seems that its glory days might soon be over, as two Australian engineers have developed a system that will allow users to control their multimedia devices via a set of simple gestures.
According to a report by David Derbyshire for the Daily Mail, the two researchers, namely Dr. Prashan Premaratne and Quang Nguyen have created a remote control system that employs a built-in camera which can recognize up to seven simple hand gestures and can control up to 8 of the most basic appliances around the house. This is possible due to the fact that, besides the camera, this system also features a powerful software application that can recognize simple, deliberate hand gestures, translate them into commands and then forward them to a universal remote control that works with most TVs, recorders, DVD players and set-top boxes currently available on the market.
While this technology might seem a bit useless at first sight (after all, remote controls work just fine on their own), one of its creators, Dr. Premaratne of the University of Wollongong, explained for the Daily Mail what led him and his colleague towards this development. "We all rely on remote controls to manage an increasing number of items including TVs, set-top boxes, DVDs and hi-fis, and the range of goods will continue to increase. Apart from the frustration of sometimes mislaying the remote control just when you need it, they do tend to have different sets of commands which have to be mastered."
The first model of this system has already been developed and tested and it seems that the results are pretty convincing, as the prototype worked in just about any lighting conditions and at various distances. Actually, these results were so encouraging that the two inventors are seriously taking into consideration the possibility of adapting their system in order to work with video game consoles, which would really lead to a complete overhauling of the whole concept of gaming, as Dr. Premaratne points out: "Normal game consoles rely on pressing series of buttons to get commands. Hand gestures can replace those button presses and the gaming experience will be truly revolutionized."
However, it seems that we'll have to wait a bit longer before the first commercial model of this system is available, but, when(and if) it does hit the market, it will probably change the concept of home entertainment forever.
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