It’s a lazy person’s nightmare. You’ve just settled in for a night of Netflix when you realize that—the horror!—the remote control is just out of reach.
What do you do? Do you forsake your nest of coziness in order to get up and grab the magic wand that grants access to all that is holy in TV land? Or do you throw in the towel and just lie there wishing you had the force until you fall asleep in a cloud of annoyance?
We’ve all been there. Well, maybe not that situation specifically, but close enough. But now, thanks to advances in gesture recognition technology, we may never be faced with such a dilemma again!
Dramatics aside, if you’re one of the lucky folks with a smart TV, you will soon be able to communicate with it via gestures, rather than remote controls (if you aren’t doing so already).
Rapid advances in products and technology are some major factors contributing to the growth of the Global Gesture Recognition Market for Smart TV, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 33.07 percent from 2014-2019.
The Basics
Gesture recognition refers to the ability of a device to identify and respond to the different gestures of an individual. It reduces the use of hardware devices such as the keyboard, mouse and remote control, and relies instead on in-built cameras that capture the motion performed by an individual.
The Less-than Basics
The gestures captured by the camera are passed through a number of mathematical algorithms that process the image and match it against the template stored in the database. The various algorithms used for gesture recognition include:
- 3D model-based algorithm
- Skeletal-based algorithm
- Appearance-based models
The image processing output is a set of parameters related to the image and, consecutively, the function is performed on the device.
Applications of Gesture Recognition
Gesture recognition is used more or less exactly as you would imagine in smart TVs. It allows users to change the channel, adjust volume and brightness, control the picture quality and even view multiple screens and access social networking sites.
Pros and Cons of Gesture Recognition Technology in Smart TV
Pros
- Gives a competitive advantage to vendors
- Makes interacting with TVs easier
- Reduces the need for remote controls
- Provides easy integration with other technologies such as face recognition and voice recognition
- Provide a richer experience to users
Cons
- The software may be inaccurate at times
- Images need to be captured under proper light
- Objects in the background may disrupt the input
- Viability of usage in day-to-day applications is low
- Distance between the camera and the object may cause resolution issues
As you can see from the litany of disadvantages, the technology is hardly perfect yet, which may lead some frustrated consumers to give up and go back to their trusty remote.
One of the major issues plaguing the Global Gesture Recognition for Smart TV Market is the lack of standardization in the actual gestures used to control TVs.
For example, different games perform different functions with the same action. By the same token, most games require pretty vigorous movements while other devices might require more subtle movements
Non-standardization of gestures makes it complicated for end-users to remember which movement should be used to perform a specific function. Movements need to be standardized across devices so the occurrences of false motion detection are reduced, thereby reducing the number of instances of ‘I didn’t mean to do that’.
Key Vendors Developing Gesture Recognition Tech
The Global Gesture Recognition Market for Smart TVs is in its nascent stage. Apart from market giants LG Electronics and Samsung, a number of new vendors are entering the market, and this is expected to reduce the cost of smart TVs. Intense competition in the market also means that vendors are developing software kits that can be integrated in advanced devices.
Currently, the Global Gesture Recognition Market for Smart TV has several leading vendors, resulting from the commercialization of gesture-enabled consumer electronics. Many pure-play companies are being acquired by large corporations for their technological expertise in gesture recognition, and this trend is expected to continue during the forecast period. The major vendors in the Global Gesture Recognition Market for Smart TV include eyeSight Mobile Technologies, LG Electronics, PointGrab, and Samsung.
