The Force is with Hitachi.

At this year’s booth, Hitachi was focused on the future. Sure, the company announced some new TV offerings, but the spotlight was on the Style-Unlimited showcase, which highlighted cutting-edge designs and technologies that are coming down the pike.

The showcase included prototypes of a 50-inch Ultra-Thin (35mm) plasma, an even thinner Ultra-Thin (15mm) LCD with LED backlighting, a Blu-ray camcorder, and more. Generating the biggest buzz, though, was a demo of Hitachi’s Gesture Remote Control TV.  

Who needs a remote? The Gesture Remote Control TV responds to hand-gesture commands. A rapid wave turns on the set, slower horizontal and vertical waves bring up different menus, and a circular motion makes adjustments within that menu.

The feat is accomplished using a tiny 3Dⁱ sensor, developed by a company called Canesta, that can detect and process hand gestures from a distance up to 9.8 feet. The technology could also control your room’s lights and temperature, and it can distinguish between one- and two-handed gestures.

The real question is, can it distinguish gestures meant for the TV from those aimed at the ref in the football game I’m watching? Ah, the Dark Side is so tempting, isn't it?

Don’t expect a real-world Gesture Remote Control TV until 2010 or 2011.

CONTACT:
hitachi.us