#perceptual computing

[tekniotv]

Intel Perceptual Computing Demo

[maarkblog]

Truly Interactive

So Intel is in the news today. Remember them? Back before every tech commercial on TV was about mobile devices, its circular logo and sound signature were everpresent at the end of PC commercials.

I mean, Intel is still the king of PCs, but that kingdom ain't what it used to be and the company hasn't quite been able to annex mobile. So in an attempt to increase its relevance, Intel is investing in the development of what it's calling "perceptual computing." According to a C/NET article:

Intel has devoted significant resources and efforts to something it calls "perceptual computing." Perceptual computing may sound like a jargony, marketing term, but it does just what it says -- it uses the senses to help technology interpret what's going on around it. Those features, such as gestures, facial recognition, and voice recognition, should all make devices more "natural, intuitive, and immersive," says Anil Nanduri, one of the Intel executives in charge of the company's efforts in perceptual computing.

And, yeah, like the article implies, it sounds a bit gimmicky...but it is definitely the direction we're going. I talk to my phone pretty regularly these days, and thanks to devices like Microsoft's Kinect and the Leap Motion 3D controller, I've done my share of gesticulating at computers, too.

But more than it being a trend, it's the ultimate interaction. When we communicate with each other, we don't use a single avenue of input or need specialized peripherals. We just communicate.

So once a computer can start sensing emotions in a person's voice and face, seeing the fine details of body language like finger twitches and posture, and then react accordingly then we have a whole new definition of "personal computer."

Back in the day, "Intel Inside" meant you were getting something fast and powerful. If Intel is really investing Elon Musk-levels of money, brain power, and determination into making perceptual computing natural and useful, "Intel Inside" could start meaning something much more nuanced.

Photo credit: Dan Zen, Flickr

[wikipolis]

3D gesture control using a standard camera? No problem, says eyeSight 

Gesture recognition company eyeSight has said that its newest gesture control software is capable of detecting depth and simulating 3D tracking using only a standard webcam or other camera.

The company, which has its headquarters in Israel, as well as global offices in the US, Korea, Hong Kong and Japan, chose to demonstrate the capabilities of its software with a demo using Google Earth.

In the video (below) you can see a person navigating the virtual streets and manipulating Google Earth simply using gesture controls from hovering their hand in front of the screen.

The company said it’s 100 percent software based – meaning you won’t need a new phone or laptop to get in on the action in future – and only requires a standard camera or webcam.

“For eyeSight it’s all about delivering fresh and exciting user experiences,” company CEO Gideon Shmuel said. “We want to enable users to interact with their devices using natural gestures, and we believe adding such capabilities to our offering, create a new layer of intuitiveness that users want.”

A number of PC and smartphone manufacturers are starting to integrate gesture control into their devices, with Lenovo’s Yoga Ultrabooks already including the eyeSight’s tech.

As smartphone, tablet and PC vendors continue to struggle to differentiate themselves from the competition, the addition of features such as gesture control (as seen on the Samsung Galaxy S4) is just one way they are looking to make their products stand out from the crowd.

[wikipolis]

Press Release: Intel Capital Fund to Accelerate Human-Like Senses on Computing Devices

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Intel Capital creates a $100-million Intel Capital Experiences and Perceptual Computing Fund to bring more compelling, natural and immersive experiences across the spectrum of Intel® architecture platforms.

Intel Capital Experiences and Perceptual Computing Fund targeted at accelerating the development of software and applications to bring new experiences to life.

    COMPUTEX, Taipei, Taiwan, June 4, 2013 – At Computex today, Intel Corporation executives detailed progress toward the company's vision to integrate human-like sensing technology into devices, ultimately delivering more natural, intuitive and immersive computing experiences. To help realize this vision, Intel Capital, Intel's Global Investment and M&A Organization, announced a $100-million investment fund to accelerate the development of software and applications that bring these experiences to life across the spectrum of Intel® architecture platforms.

  The Intel Capital Experiences and Perceptual Computing Fund will invest over the next 2-3 years. Areas of software and application investment will include broader touch applications, imaging, gesture, voice and emotion sensing and biometrics, among others.

  "Devices with human-like senses – the ability to see, hear and feel much like people do – has long been a subject of science fiction but is now within reach given recent innovations in compute power and camera technology," said Arvind Sodhani, president of Intel Capital and Intel executive vice president. "This new fund will invest in start-ups and companies enabling these experiences, helping them with the business development support, global business network and technology expertise needed to scale for worldwide use."

  Intel announced its perceptual computing initiative at its annual Intel Developer Forum in 2012. Since then, the company's Perceptual Computing Software Developer Kit (SDK) has been downloaded more than 10,000 times. It had already launched the Perceptual Computing Challenge, an early kick-off contest for developers to create innovative applications using the SDK with up to $1 million in awards.

  Intel and its industry partners have also made significant progress in bringing the first perceptual computing technologies to the market for today's Ultrabook™ systems and PCs, including:

  An interactive gesture camera from Creative, the Senz3D which is already in the hands of developers and will be available to consumers in the third quarter of this year.

Leading the development and enabling the integration of 3-D depth camera technology by working with multiple OEM partners to build the technology into various Intel-based devices with targeted availability for second half of 2014.

The largest U.S. PC retailer, Best Buy, is assorting the Nuance Dragon Assistant on 10+ Intel® Core™ based notebooks, Ultrabooks™, and all-in-one PCs from Acer, Asus, Lenovo, and Toshiba. With Dell announced earlier this year, there are now five OEMs shipping designs to consumers during the back-to-school selling cycle.

Facial log-in software from Sensible Vision will ship preloaded from multiple OEMs.

  "Intel and our key OEM partners are excited about integrating 3-D depth camera technology into our next-generation platforms bringing compelling, natural and immersive experiences to life," said Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's PC Client Group.

  The Intel Capital Experiences and Perceptual Computing Fund will complement the existing Intel Capital Ultrabook Fund. Intel Capital has invested a significant portion of the $300-million Ultrabook Fund in innovative system component technologies in areas such as audio, touch, battery, display, sensor and wireless connectivity to make Intel-based computing devices thinner, lighter, more secure and responsive.

    About Intel Capital Intel Capital, Intel's global investment and M&A organization, makes equity investments in innovative technology start-ups and companies worldwide. Intel Capital invests in a broad range of companies offering hardware, software, and services targeting enterprise, mobility, health, consumer Internet, digital media and semiconductor manufacturing. Since 1991, Intel Capital has invested more than US$10.8 billion in over 1,284 companies in 54 countries. In that timeframe, 202 portfolio companies have gone public on various exchanges around the world and 320 were acquired or participated in a merger. In 2012, Intel Capital invested US$352 million in 150 investments with approximately 57 percent of funds invested outside North America. For more information on Intel Capital and its differentiated advantages, visit www.intelcapital.com or follow @Intelcapital.

[wikipolis]

Omek Interactive

[originallgb]

The MYO armband uses muscle movements to figure out what gesture the wearer is making, and then relays that back to software. MYO wearable interface controller > optical/camera based interface controllers. Why is this better than optical based systems like the kinect or leap motion? Hyper Personalized, where instead of a general one size fits all approach to gesture recognition users can build a personal library that learns and adapts to your specific body language style. Less privacy intrusive than a camera, users would have the first right of connecting to any interface the want. Integration with quantified self, including fitness, health monitors, et cetera. In public I'd rather make some gentle movements and gestures with my arm than speak out loud my commands. The only way an optical based system could compete with this armband is if gesture recognition was integrated into an interface like google glass, where as my google glass records and interprets my hands and gestures directly. The future is now.

[shacheng]

Perceptual computing is the next stage in blending the digital with the physical world. This technology is incredible and I can't wait to try it out myself. There'll be a day we'll be able to go anywhere, do anything, all from the comfort of our homes. I can imagine this being used to help some of us get over our fear of heights but also to "learn kung fu." Don't be so keanu, the future is awesome.

[jimharland]

Intel’s new interface idea is a mash-up of all the others

At CES, Intel demoed “perceptual computing,” MIT Technology Review reports. With perceptual computing, Intel envisions a new kind of interface for devices that will let users switch fluently between keyboards, trackpads, touch screens, voice commands, and gestures, or use several modes of interaction at once.

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