Tech Exploration
Gesture-based technology has come a long way, but I think it still has a ways to go. I remember my experience with the power glove and how hilariously bad it was. Even though it was terrible, success was to be found in its failure, as the power glove evolved into the Nintendo Wii controller. Both devices are based on similar infrared technologies. This technology would bring an entirely new yet older generation into gaming via Nintendo's Wii. It is interesting how much of an effect film and video games have on emerging technology; even the Kinect is a gesture device (and so much more, which is why it has its own page on my site). Then you have the special effects team from Minority Report. They have had a large part in the advancement of gesture tech; some went and started Oblong Industries while others created the Leap Motion. Even some televisions are embedded with gesture technology.
Oblong Industries
Oblong Industries, by far, has the most impressive gesture technology that I have ever seen. They have several products, Mezzanine, G-Speak, and Greenhouse (formerly Sandbox). All of their products have quite the price tag, which limits its accessibility. Mezzanine is their solution for conference room collaboration. This technology gives users a significantly elevated level of collaboration by connecting displays across many devices and platforms for presentation purposes, whiteboards, or even content manipulation. G-Speak is referred to as a platform for spatially-aware, multi-user, multi-screen, multi-device systems. G-Speak is their product, which looks very similar to what you may have seen in Minority Report; it is very robust and has quite the wow factor. I believe their main challenge is that outside of 3D modeling and animation, the use is limited. If someone is designing a building or animating a film, it will undoubtedly increase their productivity, and I think it could have some great applications in the medical community. Unfortunately, Oblong wants to keep their technology away from game developers; perhaps they want to use their technology for something more radical than the entertainment industry.
The Leap Motion
I contributed to the original Leap Motion on Kickstarter, this device created a lot of buzz in the tech world, but I believe it fell a little short. I think that people were expecting a Minority Report level of functionality. Regardless of expectations, I love that it is so affordable as it creates a high level of accessibility. The device is about the size of a flash drive and works best if you place it directly underneath your monitor as it feels natural to hold your hands over your keyboard while working on a computer. Surprisingly, I could connect the Leap Motion with Autodesk Maya on day one, but it had a learning curve. I could not model objects in 3D with the device, but it seemed great for controlling cameras and animation. My opinion at the time was that the device seemed very novel and imprecise until you calibrate it properly and get used to it. Since my initial experience with the Leap, several new versions were released. In 2019 they were acquired by Ultrahaptics and rebranded themselves as Ultraleap and currently offer a handful of different gesture products.
Gesture Televisions
TVs are a novelty item in and of itself, but the higher the quality and the larger the screen, the more viewers will enjoy the experience. We now have televisions that recognize our voices and our faces. They can differentiate between gender or even age. These features allow advertisers to deliver targeted experiences. Most people have experienced the frustration over a lost remote but using your hands or voice to change the channel, control the volume, even power it on and off. Technology anyone could enjoy.
XBOX Kinect
The Kinect is by far the most impressive gesture device. The Kinect 2 can actually detect up to 14 people in a room, it is remarkably precise. This tech is so powerful and goes so far beyond gesture functionality that it has it's own section on my discovery page.