Can’t Find the Remote? No Worries

You may never get frustrated looking for a lost remote control again.

Imagine using anything that’s handy to adjust the television volume, view the guide or change the channel. Research scientists in England developed a new technology that can turn almost anything – such as a cup or small toy – into a TV remote control.

Ph.D. student Christopher Clarke and professor Hans Gellersen, both of Lancaster University’s School of Computing and Communications, created a gesture control technique, called spontaneous spatial coupling, that allows body movement and object movement to interact with screens. Their “Matchpoint” technology works with a simple webcam.

– Deneen Bloom, S&A Communications