

A future without remote controls - GiraffeNecktie
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/travel/Ottawa+firm+sees+future+without+remote+controls/2487921/story.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3a+canwest%2fF291+%28Ottawa+Citizen+-+Ottawa+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

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ganley
I've wondered, ever since I was a kid and remote controls first became
prevalent, why TVs and such aren't voice controlled. Of course, I'm not a
channel surfer; with a voice system, my wife would talk herself hoarse and
still not be able to change channels nearly fast enough.

Side rant: I hate how most devices now have few/no controls on the unit and
require the remote to use them fully. Generally, I'll get up and walk over to
them before I'll look for a misplaced remote.

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RyanMcGreal
Viewer: Channel thirty.

TV: 'Channel dirty' is not a recognized command.

Viewer: Not dirty, _thirty_!

TV: 'Not dirty, dirty' is not a recognized command.

Viewer: Where's that damned remote?

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DanielStraight
I can't imagine a system like this for a TV that doesn't read false positives
during normal living room activity.

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nirmal
One way that we get around false triggers is by using some sort of "push-to-
gesture" system. This would tell the recognition component that it is time to
pay attention. I could imagine using some simpler heuristic that determines if
the user is squared off at or at least facing the TV before accepting any
gestures.

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GiraffeNecktie
That's what I was thinking. For example if it recognized that you were holding
up two fingers in a "V" for victory it would show a little on-screen message
(e.g. "Ready for input"). I'd love to be able to give a middle finger salute
to my TV and have it understand that I NEVER want to see this program again.

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Tichy
I for one think gestures are overrated, and that includes OS X and iPhone. I
can remember pinch to zoom and swipe to scroll - that's it. There is no way to
even guess what else might be available. Certainly I don't want to memorize a
couple of gestures just to be able to operate my TV.

