philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

Project Soli: Google’s new experiment to put gesture controls everywhere

At a time when most gesture-sensing technology is unreliable and clunky, Project Soli, one of Google latest cutting-edge experiments from its secretive Advanced Technology and Projects group (ATAP), provides an enticing example of the type of powerful motion controller that could actually change how we interact with everything from smartwatches and tablets to appliances and other everyday objects.

Project Soli's gesture-tracking takes a particularly unique approach in that it depends on radar.

Of course, gesture-based controllers are not, in themselves, new. Companies like Leap Motion and, more recently, Intel (via RealSense) have been experimenting with motion controllers for some time. But these systems rely on cameras for their motion-tracking abilities, which limits the effectiveness and accuracy of the devices, says Schwesig.

Since Soli's sensors can capture motion at up to 10,000 frames per second, it is much more accurate than camera-based systems, which track motion at much lower frame rates, Schwesig says. And unlike cameras, radar can pass through certain types of objects, making it adaptable to more form factors than a camera.

In its current form, its radar tech lives in a single tiny chip that can be embedded in about any type of device, even objects that don't have a traditional display.

"It's in chip form, [since] there are no moving parts involved it can be embedded inside devices, it can work through some materials, we can reimagine this in everyday objects or even with existing products," Schwesig said.

Imagining gesture interfaces on everyday objects is particularly intriguing: ATAP used the example of an analog radio where gestures control the volume and station.

But the size and flexibility of the chip itself leaves many, many, more possibilities open.

See the full story here: http://mashable.com/2015/05/30/google-project-soli-analysis/#zwdXWObRrqqF