Pantech Unveils Sky Wind, a Blow-Controlled Handset

Pantech, one of the three giant mobile phone manufacturers in Korea, announced plans to release a new handset, the IM-S410K, or the Sky Wind, which is promoted as a blow-controlled mobile phone. Basically, the device comes with a brand new user interface, which is different from what we're used to see in a multi-touch or touch UI featured by today's handsets.

The new Pantech IM-S410K phone comes with what the company has called the Emotion Engine, developed by Fantalog Interactive, which is a small software company in Korea. The Emotion Engine does not require for any hardware modifications in the device, as it is software-run; it only needs a microphone and a camera, standard features in all phones currently on the market.

The phone includes wind recognition capabilities based on a blow engine, and the microphone is the main part that helps it do so. Users are able to perform different actions on the Sky Wind mobile phone, all based on the wind recognition. The handset can be set up to recognize both short blows as well as long ones, and it allows for the wallpapers to be changed, the brightness to be adjusted or photos to be taken, without pressing buttons.

Besides the functions enabled by the use of the Sky Wind's microphone, there are also motion-recognition capabilities, some of which are based on the use of the phone's camera. Users would be offered means to surf the web without touching or pressing the buttons. At the same time, Sky Wind also recognizes its own moves, which means that one could even play dice by shaking the device, although it doesn't include an accelerometer.

Pantech and Fantalog have inked a three-year contract according to which the mobile phone maker can use the Emotion Engine exclusively, and it plans on including it with all of its future handsets. The best part is that the app is able to work as an accelerometer, which would save costs while providing the features.

According to Pantech, consumers who would use the IM-S410K in highly windy environments have nothing to worry about, as the Emotion Engine is able to make the difference between a human blow and the wind. For what it's worth, it seems that Fantalog is planning on bringing further improvements to the engine, so as to deliver more differences between it and Apple's multi-touch user interface.

The company did not disclose details on the price of the Sky Wind mobile, although the handset is expected to launch in the middle of February.