--Dolphin Remote Incorporates Hillcrest Labs' Freespace Motion-Detection Technology
Remote control specialist, Universal Electronics, contacted [itvt] Wednesday to let us know that it plans to demo at next month's IBC a "point-and-click" universal remote, called the Dolphin, which it bills as "ideal for subscription broadcast operators looking to provide subscribers with advanced, Web-connected content options and an immersive 3D viewing experience."
According to the company, the Dolphin remote incorporates Hillcrest Labs' Freespace motion-detection technology, which senses user motions and translates them into on-screen cursor movement. The technology also provides linear acceleration and angular velocity detection, Universal Electronics says, which is vital for the recognition of such gestures as tilting, swinging or flicking that are used in gaming and other applications.
Universal Electronics claims that the Dolphin remote enables fast, intuitive navigation through multiple menus, channels or content selections via Freespace's ability to convert the user's natural hand movements into cursor movements. It allows for simple actions such as selecting programs and perusing menus in a traditional manner, the company says, but also enables advanced functions such as point-and-click selections of multiple items on a single screen and browsing graphical content lists. This, Universal Electronics claims, will be especially valuable to the emerging connected-TV and 3D markets, as directional commands based on a two-dimensional world will no longer be sufficient. "As cable, satellite, and IPTV providers continue to integrate IP content into their offerings, this sort of navigation capability will instantly enhance the user experience," Olav Pouw, Universal Electronics' SVP of subscription broadcasting for EMEA, APAC, and India, said in a prepared statement. "Users will immediately feel comfortable because Dolphin works by facilitating the movement of an on-screen cursor--just like the mouse does on the computer they've been using for years. Dolphin is the most appropriate interface device to use in 3D and gaming applications. In order to truly experience content in three dimensions, you'll need to be able to navigate within that environment as well."
According to Universal Electronics, the Dolphin remote's functionality is further enhanced by "in-air pointing accuracy technology" that it says enables smooth operation, even as the density of on-screen targets increases. For example, the company claims, a selection can be made from an on-screen list of dozens of items with a single click, whereas a traditional remote would require "tedious manipulation" using directional arrows. The device also recognizes on-screen targets quickly, the company says, and eliminates pointing errors via human tremor cancellation technology.
Universal Electronics says that the Dolphin remote can be easily customized with an operator's log; includes the industry's largest infrared code library for compatibility with any TV set or set-top box; and incorporates programmable hot keys for one-click access to frequently used functions. According to the company, it connects via a proprietary 2.4 GHz ultra-low-power, bidirectional RF link that ensures minimum latency between user motion and cursor motion and extreme accuracy, regardless of the orientation in which it is held by the user.
