Microsoft: 3D Gesture Recognition

Microsoft' CEO, Steven A. Ballmer, discussed Microsoft's plans to advance the gesture technology well beyond video games in recent interview. "I'm excited to be way out in front and want to push the pedal on that", he said.

Maybe Microsoft is excited by Apple. Gesture Recognition, existed for a long time, become popular after iPod and iPhone start the engine of "touch". And Nintendo Wii start to use the motion recognition in user's interaction with game.

Microsoft's XBox use another way to recognition user's motion.(Avoid Nintendo's patent)
Different from MEMS devices, like accelerometer and gyro, optical measurement maybe a solution. (But Nintendo's Wii uses not only  MEMS but also IR sensing). In this year, Xbox Kincet adopt PrimeSense's solution to achieve motion recognition.

Strategy

• 3DV System , a Israel company
  In 2009, Microsoft acquired it to get related time-of-flight patents. Even 3DV Systems participated in Project Nata, Xbox do not use it in motion sensing, but buy the company!!!
• PrimeSense, a Israel company
  2010, PrimeSense supply the chip to Xbox. They use structured illumination to construct z information. (Not be acquired by M$)
• Canesta,a US company
  This month, Canesta agree to be acquired by Microsoft,in the end of 2010. Canesta use time-of-flight technique to acquire z-information. It is different from Zcam of 3DV systems.(3DV needs a fast electro-optical gate). 

Optical method is friendly to user, because user does not need hold anything. Camera will recognize user's motion and gesture. In contrast,"Wii Remote" or "Sony PS Move"  asks player hold a bar in hand.

But the accuracy and sensitivity of camera sensing are not goos as  MEMS + optical (Wii remote).

[More]
How Kinect works with PrimeSense
Canesta: time-of-flight CMOS sensor
3DV systems : ZCam - depth camera