Mar 30, 2009

Softkinetic 3D Gesture Recognition for Games and Rehabilitative Play

Taking 3D interaction further, Softkinetic has developed middle-ware that uses a 3D camera to support full-body gesture interaction with games and other applications. No controllers or devices are needed!



The following video is narrated in Portuguese, I, think, but you can understand the content in any language. I you love the Wii, you'll probably like this!


Here is a video that demonstrate how Softkinetic and Silverfit paired together to develop rehabilitative games for the elderly and others:


The following table is from the Silverfit website:
Game Movement trained
Puzzle While sitting down, bend whole body left and right, and stand up. Cognitive/visual component.
Mole Balance exercise by stepping with one leg while standing.
Catching grapes Walking movement left and right.
Walking Walking in place, while avoiding obstacles and thresholds. Activity of Daily Life (ADL) component.
Arm exercise Arm stretching and reaching in all directions with one or both arms. ADL component.
Picking flowers Walking backwards, forwards and sideways. Optionally, bending down.
Memory Arm stretching left, right, forwards and upwards. Cognitive component.

RELATED

Softkinetic and Silverfit Introduce Senior-Targeted Gaming

(Danny Cowan, Gamasutra, 12/19/08)

Softkinetic's Gesture-Based Interactive TV Action:

3 comments:

Patti Jordan said...

It’s great to see companies like this helping to promote video gesture control as the next natural user interface for interactive games and displays. You may not realize that GestureTek commercialized its 3D interactive solution years ago, and now has 3D clients, projects and installations all over the world. As the inventor, patent holder and pioneer in gesture control technology for over 20 years, GestureTek has had 3D depth sensing and stereo control software and patents in place for over eight years. The company's 3D depth sensing system works with any available 3D depth camera and offers the ability for users to control the system using virtually any hand gesture or pose, including grabbing, swiping, waving or pointing. Other applications include full body avatar control, two-handed and multi-touch control and 360º navigation control. Besides the work GestureTek is doing with major telecom companies for their set top boxes and electronics manufacturers for their next generation of TV’s and other consumer devices, GestureTek deployed a 3D visualization hand tracking flight simulator interactive attraction at the Beijing Olympics. See http://www.gesturetek.com/3ddepth/businesscases/3dexplorer.php. More at http://www.gesturetek.com/3ddepth/introduction.php

Patti Jordan said...

This interactive health video is great. Also check out www.gesturetekhealth.com to see videos of live installations in hospitals and health clinics of GestureTek's IREX interactive virtual rehabilitation exercise system, multisensory interactive systems and portable virtual therapy cart. GestureTek has been in the business of gesture control health applications, accessible games, computer based virtual rehabilitation and therapy and virtual interactive exergaming for more than 10 years, and has multiple patents and awards under its belt in this area.

Lynn Marentette said...

Peggy,

I've posted about GestureTek's great work- thanks for the links.

-Lynn