"The Loop" το τηλεκοντρόλ του μέλλοντος

[JohnnyWalker]

Hillcrest Labs is a company developing technology to enable easy-to-use interfaces for consumer electronics devices. Dubbed "Spontaneous Navigation," the Java-based technology uses a MEMS-based (micro electro-mechanical sensor), donut-shaped controller, the interface is one of the easiest to navigate we've seen. The controller, known as "The Loop", is itself light, and only has two buttons and a scroll wheel, much like a mouse.


Unlike similar motion-sensitive controllers, The Loop maintains the pointer orientation on the screen, no matter what angle the user is holding the controller. In other words, gesturing up will move the pointer up on the screen, whether you're holding the controller upright, upside down, sideways or at an arbitrary angle.

Hillcrest was demonstrating The Loop on an HDTV driven by an Intel VIIV reference PC. The VIIV PC had a built-in TV tuner, and Hillcrest's Spontaneous Navigation software. Navigating through the interface was one of the most intuitive experiences we've seen. Hillcrest hopes to see this and similar devices incorporated into consumer electronics and digital media devices later this year.