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A new technology called ‘G-Speak’ is being
developed by a Los Angeles based company,
which could see the humble mouse being
replaced by interactive gloves within two
years, fundamentally changing the way we
direct the functions of our PCs. Rather than
using just one hand to control a mouse,
users will be able to communicate more
intuitively by slipping on special gloves
and using both hands like Tom Cruise in
Minority Report and Daniel Craig in the
latest James Bond movie. |
“If you’ve had the experience of trying to
teach your great uncle how to use a mouse,
it’s frustrating. Most people who put on the
gloves are up and running within 30 seconds,
because everyone knows how to point.”
John Underkoffler
Chief Scientist, Oblong Industries |
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Indeed, John Underkoffler, who was one of
the founders of Oblong Industries, the
company behind this new technology, was
employed as a science advisor by the makers
of Minority Report.
He was quoted by the Times Online as saying:
"Human hands are the most sophisticated
manipulating tools in the world; the idea is
to drop the mouse and let hands do what
they're fully capable of. That is to
describe and push, poke and pull and
manipulate the world."
Currently G-Speak remains the preserve of
large organisations where multiple screens
can occupy entire rooms allowing several
people to control what they see at once.
However, Oblong is now working on smaller
versions that can be used in the home and,
within two years, it expects the price to
have fallen to around £40.
Mr Underkoffler believes that the gloves
will replace the mouse, which celebrates its
40th birthday this month, because the system
is more intuitive.
He said: “If you’ve had the experience of
trying to teach your great uncle how to use
a mouse, it’s frustrating. Most people who
put on the gloves are up and running within
30 seconds, because everyone knows how to
point.” |
