Sony demonstrates camera-based system tracks 3D body movements for truly intuitive computer control

Citation

(2010), "Sony demonstrates camera-based system tracks 3D body movements for truly intuitive computer control", Industrial Robot, Vol. 37 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2010.04937bab.003

Sony demonstrates camera-based system tracks 3D body movements for truly intuitive computer control

Article Type: News From: Industrial Robot: An International Journal, Volume 37, Issue 2

Sony Europe’s Image Sensing Solutions (ISS) division has demonstrated a revolutionary PC control interface based on 3D vision cameras. The system, called ICU, analyses body movements and enables users to go beyond the mouse or touchscreen to interact more intuitively with a computer.

The technology is the first of its kind to be demonstrated and is the result of collaboration between Sony ISS and Atracsys, a Swiss optical tracking specialist. The interface is able to detect and act upon any “gesture” or body movement by tracking subtle changes in body, arm, hand or finger position. The ICU system is also sensitive enough to determine a user’s approximate age, sex and emotion; recognising happiness, anger, surprise, sadness, and neutrality.

The interface is based on two Sony ISS XCD-V60 cameras (tinyurl.com/SonyXCD-V60) linked together stereoscopically to create a 3D image. These high specification digital IEEE1394b cameras transmit image data at 90 fps to a PC running Atracsys’ proprietary video analysis software. Input from the cameras can be used to control a cursor, avatar or robot.

“ICU can be used in virtually any scenario, be it gaming, industrial, medical or retail,” commented Gaëtan Marti, CEO at Atracsys. “Currently, we’re receiving a lot of interest from retail marketing companies wanting to develop truly interactive shop window displays. In this application, a user pointing at a watch or electronic gadget, for example, could command the display of additional information from the web about the product, such as reviews, pricing information or technical specifications.”

Arnaud Destruels, Marketing Manager at Sony ISS, said, “such interfaces were conceived many decades ago, with science fiction films using them to convey a futuristic feeling. The large time gap between conception and implementation highlights just how complex the task has been as well as the coding expertise at Atracsys.”

About Atracsys

Atracsys LLC is an independent privately held company founded in 2003 to exploit over ten years of research in minimally invasive surgery and optical tracking at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Its experts design, manufacture and market the highest precision devices for researchers working on leading-edge 3D optical tracking in medical research, education and industry.

The company works exclusively in the active optical tracking area; considered by researchers to be the most precise and reliable form of tracking available.

As an engineering and development company geared to the needs of the most demanding users, Atracsys has developed “best-in-class” precision active tracking systems (the easyTrack and the accuTrack) that can be easily customised and integrated into various research applications in the medical and research fields.

For more information, please visit the web site: www.atracsys.com