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Google Works On Kinect-Like Interface For Android
bizwriter writes "A patent filing made public last week suggests that Google may be trying to implement a motion-detection interface, like Microsoft Kinect, for portable electronic gadgets. The patent application is for technology that turns a mobile device's camera into a motion-input system. In other words, it could be goodbye to fingerprints and streaks on the front of your tablet or smartphone. Google could incorporate such a feature into Android in general or keep it as a differentiating advantage for its acquisition of Motorola."
I get it. They're following the Wii model:
Rapid gesticulation to control device
Accidentally throw device across room
Have to buy new device to replace broken one
Profit!
It's not everywhere you phone is free. I purchased a Nokia N900 (it's from 2009), used, for half a months salary here. And I'm pretty much middle class as well. So I'd rather take care of it, since buying another in two years is out of the question.
From Claim 1 of the patent filing:
Claim 2 then says:
Then there is a lot of refinement, talking about edge detection, direction of movement, the usual definition of a computing device with memory, and finally kicking off predetermined actions based on recognized motions.
But look at Claim 2: "... comprises single tapping, double tapping, hovering, holding and swiping." To me, this patent seems to be a simple extrapolation of the gestures Apple made popular with their mobile UI, with the addition of "hovering" (assuming I understand the definition of that word, here). Same gestures, different input control.
Is there a significant difference between, say, swiping across a phone's screen and making the same gesture a few inches away? (I'm thinking that if the device interpreted motions from a larger distance then the only thing that will reliably happen is a serious of hilarious DoS attacks via interpretive dance.)
I suspect more like: "wave hand in front of phone instead of swiping". You'll probably still have to type on the screen or get a hardware keyboard, but this could free up some of the constant tapping and swiping across your viewing surface that you need to do for even the grossest control movement on a phone or tablet. Between this and improved dictation you could remove most of the need to touch the screen, but you're not going to completely eliminate it without a either a physical keyboard of someone coming up with a completely new paradigm.
I don't need a million points of light, just two points of multi-mode fiber and a 10 Gig-E router.
Well, if you were deaf, this would be one easy way to have real-time communication with someone. Getting a table mount for it would be the least of your concerns.