New Tech Ditches the Remote Control

Losing your remote control will soon be a thing of the past, thanks to new technology that embraces motion control, making it possible to channel surf with your hands. Hitachi televisions, for example, will allow you to change the channel by twisting your wrist, the New York Times reports. Microsoft’s Project Natal, to be released later this year, will compete with the Nintendo Wii—but without controllers, allowing you to use just your body to dodge balls and do skateboard tricks.

Such devices, previewed at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show, employ gesture technology cameras to capture the world in 3D—meaning that, unlike past attempts in 2D that proved disappointing, these technologies really work: In one demonstration, a chip could even differentiate between a person’s jacket, shirt, and undershirt. Computers with similar technology are also expected later this year.
(More motion sensor stories.)