Ubuntu Developers Need To Watch Minority Report

[SuperMike]

You know all this wicked cool stuff in Beryl? I'd like to see Ubuntu support a clever use of my web cam where I can twist the desktop cube, cut and paste text between two windows, move a window, close a window, maximize or minimize a window, progress a slideshow, or launch an application -- simply with hand gestures. And I'd love to see it even more with Xinerama mode as well.

I'm almost certain that this is being worked on at Apple as the next big thing for the Mac, so let's beat them in this race for all the disgruntled Windows customers. (BTW, Kim Commando on the radio this weekend said that most home users will want Vista Ultimate, and also admitted that you'll need stealthy hardware, and admitted that choosing a version of Vista can be confusing. But then I just heard that Vista Ultimate will sell for $200. Yeah, I see people hopping all over that. Not.)

[freebeer]

You know all this wicked cool stuff in Beryl? [clip]or launch an application -- simply with hand gestures.



We do that already.. it's called Terminal. :D


(Sorry, couldn't resist)

[BarfBag]

Minority Report was a pretty cool movie, but wouldn't all those movements get tiring after a while? I use my PC to wind down, not lose weight!

[The Noble]

It's called a wii. install linux on it, put beryl on it, and have fun.

[Sam]

It's called a wii. install linux on it, put beryl on it, and have fun.

WiiMote + Ubuntu + Beryl (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALqduQfm09c)

[erik_boi]

Well actually... check this out.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Yx9FgLr9oTk
It is obviously far from perfect and I have no idea how he set it up but it certainly looks like your ideas are possible.y

hmm... I apparently wasn't paying much attention while reading your post. No webcam here, just a touchscreen. Still cool though with kinda the same idea (although extra hardware would be required).

[RAV TUX]

You know all this wicked cool stuff in Beryl? I'd like to see Ubuntu support a clever use of my web cam where I can twist the desktop cube, cut and paste text between two windows, move a window, close a window, maximize or minimize a window, progress a slideshow, or launch an application -- simply with hand gestures. And I'd love to see it even more with Xinerama mode as well.

I'm almost certain that this is being worked on at Apple as the next big thing for the Mac, so let's beat them in this race for all the disgruntled Windows customers. (BTW, Kim Commando on the radio this weekend said that most home users will want Vista Ultimate, and also admitted that you'll need stealthy hardware, and admitted that choosing a version of Vista can be confusing. But then I just heard that Vista Ultimate will sell for $200. Yeah, I see people hopping all over that. Not.)

I have seen the Minority Report and even better read the Phillip K. **** novel "The Minority Report" that the movie was based on....but I actually don't see the correlation. Is there something I am forgetting?

[SuperMike]

I have seen the Minority Report and even better read the Phillip K. **** novel "The Minority Report" that the movie was based on....but I actually don't see the correlation. Is there something I am forgetting?

Remember the scene where Cruise moves windows around on a hologram screen using hand gestures?

[SuperMike]

Minority Report was a pretty cool movie, but wouldn't all those movements get tiring after a while? I use my PC to wind down, not lose weight!

Yeah, I know, but darn wouldn't it be cool to amaze friends and steer them over to the real innovation going on with Ubuntu and away from the innovation going into Macs and the stealing going into Windows?

[yabbadabbadont]

Remember the scene where Cruise moves windows around on a hologram screen using hand gestures?

You can do that now with SmartBoards.

http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/Products/SMART+Boards/default.htm

Edit: OK, so it isn't holographic... it's still pretty cool.

[RAV TUX]

Remember the scene where Cruise moves windows around on a hologram screen using hand gestures?I remember this scene.:popcorn:

[PartisanEntity]

It looks cool, but I think it requires too much movement. I would be one of those who would prefer a table-display-thingy or touchscreen system where you use your fingers like a mouse.

p.s. I love p. k. dicks books, have a collection at home :)

[Kateikyoushi]

While it looks cool and mainly that's why it appeared in the film I find it rather troublesome.
It would wear off fast like the Wii experience, at least for me

[RAV TUX]

p.s. I love p. k. dicks books, have a collection at home :)
+1

[Stealth]

I'm pretty sure Ubuntu and Beryl will be able to work, but it'll all depend on the webcam drivers. I don't know if all webcams can detect hand gestures, and if there are some, they'd need drivers in Ubuntu...

[Luffield]

I think Apple watched the movie and already patented everything you see there :-?

[Mateo]

That would be interesting, but think about the degree of difficulty it would take to code that.

[SuperMike]

That would be interesting, but think about the degree of difficulty it would take to code that.

Yeah, I think it would require:

(a) the ability to playback scenes across a web cam signal so that a system could be tested over and over

(b) a set of different lighting situations, background colors and movement, and different kinds of people

(c) averaging all the sample data until patterns can be ascertained

(d) a training system much like one does with voice recognition

Yeah, it would be difficult, but who has the mindshare of developers these days? Windows, Apple, or Linux? My bets are on Linux these days, especially after I saw Beryl.

[Mateo]

I wasn't even thinking about false positives and stuff like that, but that's definitely a tremendous obstacle. I'm sure this technology is possible in the future, but we have a long way to go. Heck, not even all webcams are supported in linux, some of the drivers aren't anything special. If you can't code drivers, how can you code motion detection on the hardware! ;)

[muguwmp67]

I have seen the Minority Report and even better read the Phillip K. **** novel "The Minority Report" that the movie was based on....but I actually don't see the correlation. Is there something I am forgetting?

I think the movie used a motion sensing VR kind of interface for the computers.

I personally, think a solid voice command interface would be more efficient. But us couch potatoes would definitely get more exercise through a wii interface.

Hehe, we could even create an app (like the current ergonomic break apps) that would stop the computer every hour for a brief aerobic workout (You must complete 10 jumping jacks to continue...)

[eriqk]

Did you know one could make a somewhat similar device with common household tools[1]? If one were so inclined.
I think one could take the Reactable (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=reactable&search=Search) and expand the concept. It's open software, after all.

Groet, Erik

[1] if one considers a plexiglass table, hi-res v4l device and a beamer common household tools.

[SuperMike]

<snip>
I personally, think a solid voice command interface would be more efficient. But us couch potatoes would definitely get more exercise through a wii interface.</snip>

I was thinking more along the lines of a huge conference center filled with people wanting to see what's going on with Ubuntu, and Jono and Mark use their hands with 3 massively big displays to flip things around as they speak, and the people in the audience cheering so loudly with excitement that you can barely hear anything.

Sure, not everyone has to control their PC with it, but it's way cool for show-off. Imagine crinkling up your hand as you grab a window, and the Beryl burn effect kicks in to burn the window off the screen. Or imagine lifting both hands up, face up, and Beryl flips into cube mode. Then, you twist both hands and Beryl flips the cube and stops. Another hand gesture could be cut and paste. You snap a finger at a screen and a dot appears. You then snap a finger at the same screen and another dot appears. You then move the dots by pointing. Then, you squeeze your hand between the two dots and you literally copy the highlighted text and can throw it on another Notepad window to paste it. And an even bigger effect would be some kind of hand gesture to snatch a window and snap it on another screen.

Using a wii just isn't as impressive as the God-like hand gesture thing.

[suziequzie]

Minority Report was a pretty cool movie, but wouldn't all those movements get tiring after a while? I use my PC to wind down, not lose weight!

Wow... design a system for me where I could lose weight while using it and I'm in...

... No, seriously, If there was an excercise interface to basic computing (like Dance Dance Revolution for Play Station or the Wii controller) that would be cool. I spend *ALOT* of time online.

:)

:idea:You just know someone is going to make a Wii-compatible controller that has a little weight to it (maybe 1 or 2 pounds) to add a little resistance to their gaming. Like gaming hand-weights. I would do that, if I had any technical skill.

[lhommemagique]

I'm a university researcher...and I just wanted to let you know that I'm working on a multi touch input os. I plan to release in the next year or two.