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Gestural control using inaudible sounds

David Pescovitz at 12:30 pm Wed, May 9, 2012

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Microsoft Research's SoundWave is an experimental interface that detects gestures based on how movements of your hand interfere with an inaudible tone generated by the computer. It doesn't use the same operating principal as the Theremin but it reminds me of that famous "hands-off" musical instrument. "SoundWave: Using the Doppler Effect to Sense Gestures" (Thanks, Lyn Jeffery!)

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/KBENBENEK Kurt Benbenek

    I’m envisioning an “orchestra” of 100 Windows laptops being “conducted” by an overly-eager computer geek. Real-time, gesture-controlled devices may be the wave of the future but it does look a little funny at this early point – as if the gesturer is swatting flies off his display! Bravo!

  • http://www.matthewpetty.com/ Matthew Petty

    “micro changes in air density”

  • http://www.matthewpetty.com/ Matthew Petty

    “micro changes in air density”

  • http://twitter.com/kpkpkp Kevin Pierce

    Looks exhausting

  • koko szanel

    inaudible, unless you are healthy
    I can hear over 20Khz just fine :(

  • Cowicide

    I think best, most practical and affordable gesture app is one that Microsoft or f’n somebody needs to release.  It could work with a little periscope mirror adapter on the cameras on laptops at the top of displays.

    You simply pinch your index finger and your thumb together with one hand or the other or both and make small shapes and combined shapes (both hands) by slightly moving these “closed circles” you create by this pinching.  You don’t have to move your wrist/palm/arm position hardly at all.

    Dammut, I just wish a dev would make this killah app.

    http://gizmodo.com/5080514/diy-hand-gesture-multi+touch-using-a-webcam-and-magic

    What happened with this??  I’ve contacted Andy Wilson about it to see if I can snag it as open source or something.

  • IamInnocent

    The musical theme should have been “The Windmills of Your Mind”.

  • pebird

    From the doppler signature, I though the user was giving the finger to the screen, just as I often need to.