Monday 30th July 2012

Kinect-style controls heading to a car near you

New concept from Harman could be wavefront of gesture-recognition tech

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Car companies and technology giants are currently rushing to get Xbox Kinect-style gesture control technology into cars, but US audio and infotainment company Harman may be just ahead of the pack. It's revealed a concept vehicle that recognises facial expressions as well as hand gestures.

The concept system interprets hand movements, nods and even winks to allow the driver to control the various in-car infotainment systems.

Cadillac already uses basic gesture recognition

A wink, for example, will turn the radio on and off, tapping the steering wheel will skip to the next track and tilting your head to the left or the right will increase or decrease the stereo's volume. There are more tricky signals, too. Harman's concept allows the driver to adjust the temperature of the climate control by raising or lowering their hand above the gear knob, while you'll be able to make a phone call simply by mimicking the shape of a telephone with your thumb and little finger.

The system works using an infra-red sensor on the dashboard to monitor the driver's movements and 'watch' for certain pre-defined gestures

"It's all about reducing distractions in the car," says Hans Roth, director of technology at Harman. "These basic gestures are being testing around the globe to find the ideal system that can be used in countries around the world."

Will we have to take care not to offend our cars?

But choosing the right gestures could be tricky "You've got to make sure it's culturally acceptable," says Roth. "In Italy for example drivers use hand gestures a lot when they drive so it needs finalising." Harman reckons that process will take around three years.

Meanwhile, a job listing posted by Microsoft and spotted by Wired magazine clearly shows that the computing giant is working on getting Kinect-style tech into vehicles. As for car manufacturers themselves, Cadillac's CUE system already uses a basic version of gesture-based controls and BMW and Mercedes are already known to be looking into similar technology.

All of which is well and good - but we hope it doesn't turn your car into a mobile equivalent of an auction room, where you daren't scratch your nose for fear of setting off the radio at full volume. Or possibly buying an antique Chesterfield...

[magnus911]

how is mimicking a phone with my finger and thumb next to my face easier than pushing the voice button on the steering wheel and saying 'call home'?

For a start, I have to take my hand off the wheel...

[900T-R]

Lots of possibilities for systems and actions to link to the international gesture of friendship, I think...

[Captain Muppet]

What happens when you sneeze?

[tolksee]

Captain Muppet said:

What happens when you sneeze?

If your name's Miss Popov, the car plays a comedy "doiiing" sound, and makes you instantly dissappear.

[Negative Creep]

Just like Kinect? So you have to sit 5 meters away from the steering wheel and every time to try and turn up the radio it will open the boot?

[900T-R]

Negative Creep said:

Just like Kinect? So you have to sit 5 meters away from the steering wheel and every time to try and turn up the radio it will open the boot?

Indeed. Doesn't instill any confidence with me at all. If I want the car to do something for me, I prefer to do this with a very deliberate action like pushing a button or turning a knob.

Took me several missed calls when I got my current touchscreen phone that needs a swipe to pick up a call, mind. What was wrong with two buttons - a green phone logo for answering a call, and a red one to terminate the connection?

/grumpyoldman

[Twilight1]

I strongly believe that there is no use for systems like that. The technology and its advantages aren't justified enough. It is just too complicated to gain benefits. Computer and web browsing would have benefits but I'm not sure inside a car.

[Gio G]

I personally think they should keep investing in voice recognition... You can pretty much control all your audio, telephony and sat nav with it..

[tony wright]

What will they do for the Scottish people then?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMS2VnDveP8

[mrmr96]

900T-R said:

Indeed. Doesn't instill any confidence with me at all. If I want the car to do something for me, I prefer to do this with a very deliberate action like pushing a button or turning a knob.

Took me several missed calls when I got my current touchscreen phone that needs a swipe to pick up a call, mind. What was wrong with two buttons - a green phone logo for answering a call, and a red one to terminate the connection?

/grumpyoldman

Yup, with you on this one. My car has voice control, and it only does limited things but it's pretty good on the whole. The gestures stuff has too much potential for unwanted operation - even if you have to press a button to activate it.

[The Noise]

Sounds a lot like keyless entry tech. An answer to a question that wasn't really asked.

Voice control seems like a pretty good idea and I have had it on a number of cars, but in the end I just ended up using the conventional controls as once you get accustomed to your car there is no need to go through endless voice commands and wait for recognition when a push of a button will suffice.

As mentioned above, goodness knows what will happen if you sneeze, yawn, wave to your mate on the street, change gear or take a sip of coffee. I'd be frozen in my seat just to prevent all hell breaking loose.

I'm sure there will be some steps forward because of these developments, but I can't help but feel that the money and man hours could be better spent on more useful tech./engineering...

[Raize]

"Open the boot doors, car!"

"I'm sorry Dave, I can't do that."

[davepoth]

Douglas Adams said:

he machine was rather difficult to operate. For years radios had been operated by means of pressing buttons and turning dials; then as the technology became more sophisticated the controls were made touch-sensitive – you merely had to brush the panels with your fingers; now all you had to do was wave your hand in the general direction of the components and hope. It saved a lot of muscular expenditure of course, but meant that you had to sit infuriatingly still if you wanted to keep listening to the same programme.

Funny how science fiction keeps coming true...

[P9UNK]

Raize said:

"Open the boot doors, car!"

"I'm sorry Dave, I can't do that."

Very funny and actually chatting to the car 'Siri' style would be better. Winking to do stuff is ridiculous and in our current climate surely dangerous.

[williredale]

When I was younger my dad claimed his new car would change the volume of the stereo if I raised or lowered my hand. It was several weeks of me being amazed and bragging to all of my mates before he 'fessed up and showed me the volume controls on the steering wheel. The bd!

[Alias218]

What if you're joyfully swaying your head to a song you like, will the volume keep increasing, decreasing, increasing, decreasing, increasing...

Stupid idea.

[sticks090460]

Just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean you should. And here is the perfect example.

[George H]

Article said:

tapping the steering wheel will skip to the next track

That's no good for when I break into a steering wheel drum solo!

[Dr_Rick]

To coin a phrase 'a nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat'

How would all this happen if you were wearing sunglasses? You surely cannot see the wink.

What about regional gestures? If you raise a hand, palm outstretched, is that not a rude gesture to someone in Greece, but may have been programmed to operate the headlights for a car designed in Detroit. Shaking the beans opens the sunroof maybe?

And what about those with facial hair or veils?

Me thinks someone hasn't thought this one through properly?

Dr Rick

[soad]

williredale said:

When I was younger my dad claimed his new car would change the volume of the stereo if I raised or lowered my hand. It was several weeks of me being amazed and bragging to all of my mates before he 'fessed up and showed me the volume controls on the steering wheel. The bd!