World's First Android Set-top Box With Gesture Control

Using a combination of hand gestures and hand tracking enabling virtual mouse control, you can now perform any function that can be accessed using the device's remote control. 

Tuesday, October 02, 2012:  eyeSight Mobile Technologies, in collaboration with Innodigital, has launched what it claims to be the world's first Android smart set-top box with integrated gesture recognition technology. Innodigital is said to have opted for the world's most intuitive-to-use gesture control to enable the compelling user experience at the heart of its nTobeBox product.

The nTobeBox from Innodigital transforms any normal television into a SmartTV that can be used to watch TV, stream content, download and use apps, make video calls, surf the Internet and more, the company said.  

Using a combination of simple hand gestures and hand tracking enabling virtual mouse control, users can easily perform any function that can be accessed using the device's remote control.

"We're really happy to working in co-operation with Innodigital to produce something remarkable; the world's first STB with integrated gesture control," said Gideon Shmuel, CEO of eyeSight. "The groundbreaking user experience we've brought to this Innodigital product will help it stand head-and-shoulders above its competition: eyeSight's advanced machine vision algorithms allow for natural, intuitive gestures, making our technology the number one choice for OEMs looking to provide their customers with a user experience which is a true enhancement compared to the current interaction methods."

I.K Kim, CEO at Innodigital added: "We have taken our product to the next level by incorporating eyeSight's incredible technology, to become the developers of the world's first Android-based set-top box with gesture recognition. We chose eyeSight's software-based solution not only because of the fantastic user experience but also for the simplicity of integration and flexibility it allowed. Now users can do anything our product offers simply by moving their hand. This kind of interaction represents a sea-change in people's relationship with smart TVs."

The nTobeBox with eyeSight's gesture recognition technology will be globally available by the beginning of 2013. Featuring the latest version of Android's Ice Cream Sandwich OS, the set-top box includes a full Web browser, app store, Skype video call technology, embedded Wi-Fi, full support for 1080p HD and a QWERTY remote control.

Innodigital said it is also mulling over teaming up with TV providers across the globe to release the box as part of a digital television package for consumers.  

Source: news.efytimes.com