Communications of the ACM
3-D Gesture-Based Interaction System nveiled
The prototype system detects glove-free hands and fingers in real-time.
Credit: Fraunhofer FIT
Fraunhofer FIT has developed a next generation touch system that enables users to interact with objects on a display without making physical contact. The gesture-based system automatically recognizes and interprets the movement of fingers and hands in real time, requires no special gloves or markers, and supports multiple users.
The prototype tracks the user's hands in front of a three-dimensional camera, which follows each pixel and determines the length of time it takes light to be filmed traveling to and from the tracked object. As a result, the distance between the camera and the tracked object can be calculated. A special image analysis algorithm filters out the positions of the hands and fingers, says system developer Georg Hackenberg. User testing of the system found that it could be confused by certain elements, such as reflections caused by wristwatches and palms that are positioned orthogonal to the camera.
Beyond gaming, "this technology also opens up the potential for new solutions in the range of other application domains, such as the exploration of complex simulation data and for new forms of learning," says Fraunhofer Institute's Wolfgang Broll.
From Fraunhofer FIT
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