Gesture Recognition Essay

Introduction

Gesture recognition is an emerging technology that has many possibilities in today's technological world. People every day are using computers in the performance of their job duties. Typically, we use a keyboard and mouse as the input devices to make the computer do what we want it to do. With gesture recognition technology, the computer gets its commands by the use of movements from our hands or even eyes. This technology has really gained popularity in the gaming industry, with the development of the Nintendo Wii and PS3's move controller, and also Xbox 360's Kinect system. But there are many other uses for this technology other than gaming that once perfected will help out even in the medical profession.

Gesture Recognition – How It Works

Gesture recognition in most cases utilizes some type of camera for the hardware and computer vision algorithms that interpret the movement of a person. It also uses gyroscopes and accelerometers that are contained in some type of controller (such as a Nintendo Wii controller) to sense a persons movement. There are even developing technologies in this field that use emotion recognition in addition to using the movements from the face and hand. With this technology, it is possible to just point your finger at the computer screen and the cursor will move where you want it. Gesture recognition has the potential to make input devices like a mouse or keyboard just a redundant feature of your computer. Gesture recognition also can help out people that are physically impaired by letting them communicate by a computer. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gesture_recognition)

Gesture Recognition Uses

As mentioned before, one of the most beneficial uses of gesture recognition is to allow a physically impaired individual the opportunity to use a computer and give them some independence. A person that is paralyzed that may have never had the chance to use a computer would now have the tools needed to do this. They can now use facial recognition technology to navigate their way through a computer to surf the internet. The technology is referred to as a Perceptual User Interface, or PUI. (http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci212183,00.html)

There is even software that has been developed for quadriplegics called Drive software. It allows a person to control a car computer interface by utilizing an over the shoulder garment that consists of two LED's. New technologies such as this will make people with physical challenges more independent because of computers. (http://news.softpedia.com/news/Gesture-Recognition-Allows-Computer-to-Understand-the-Handicapped-100497.shtml)

Another use of gesture recognition is in the medical field. The technology is being developed to actually have a "robotic scrub nurse" to assist