Microchip’s new GestIC tech for mobile-friendly 3D gesture interfaces

Well, this is jolly interesting. The folks at Microchip have announced their patented GestIC technology, which enables the next dimension in intuitive, gesture-based, non-contact user interfaces for a broad range of end products.  The configurable MGC3130 is the world’s first electrical-field (E-field)-based 3D gesture controller, offering low-power, precise, fast and robust hand position tracking with free-space gesture recognition.


If you've got some free time on your hands, you can Click Here to read the full release and you can Click Here to watch the video (there is no stage play as yet, but I live in hopes). Alternatively, you can race through the following:

Key Facts

• Patented GestIC technology enables next dimension in intuitive, gesture-based, non-contact user interfaces for a broad range of end products.
• Configurable MGC3130, featuring GestIC technology, is the world’s first electrical-field (E-field)-based 3D gesture controller.
• Offers low-power, precise, fast and robust hand position tracking with free-space gesture recognition.
• Power consumption as low as 150 microwatts in active sensing state enables always-on 3D gesture recognition—even for battery-powered products where power budgets are extremely tight.
• Provides the lowest power consumption of any 3D sensing technology—up to 90% lower than camera-based gesture systems.
• On-chip “Colibri Suite” library contains intuitive and natural human gestures, and provides exceptionally high gesture-recognition rates.
• Colibri Suite combines stochastic Hidden Markov model and x/y/z hand-position vectors to provide designers with reliable set of recognized 3D hand and finger gestures that can be easily employed in their products.
• Examples include Wake-Up on Approach, Position Tracking, Flick Gestures, Circle Gestures and Symbol Gestures to perform functions such as on/off, open application, point, click, zoom, scroll, free-space mouseover and many others.
• Utilizes thin sensing electrodes made of any conductive material, such as Printed Circuit Board traces or a touch sensor’s Indium Tin Oxide coating, enabling invisible integration behind the device’s housing.
• Provides 100% surface coverage, eliminating “angle of view” blind spots found in other technologies.
• Packaging & Availability:  Samples of the MGC3130 are available today in a 5x5 mm 28-pin QFN package.  Volume production is expected in April 2013.
• Pricing:  $2.26 each in high volumes.

Development Tools

• Microchip’s Sabrewing MGC3130 Single Zone Evaluation Kit (part # DM160217): Available now for $169, via any Microchip sales representative.  It enables development with the MGC3130 by providing a selectable electrode size of 5” or 7”.
• AUREA Graphical User Interface:Comes with the above kit, and will also be available via a free download at www.microchip.com/get/DST9.  GUI allows designers to easily match their system commands to Microchip’s Colibri Suite.  (The Colibri Suite is an extensive library of proven and natural 3D gestures for hands and fingers that is pre-programmed into the MGC3130.)

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