eyeSight Technologies Ltd. announced the availability of its gesture control technology for virtual reality (VR).

This new VR solution allows users to control virtual content with simple movements of their fingers, eliminating the need for physical controllers or hardware add-ons. The company is set apart by its use of the rear-facing cameras on iOS and Android devices to allow for touch-free interactions for smartphone-powered VR headsets. This reduces the cost of owning a VR headset by eliminating the need for extra gadgets, which could contribute to broader adoption of VR gear.

Israel-based eyeSight Technologies is at the bleeding edge of embedded computer vision technology, gaining significant financial support, recently pulling in a  $20 million investment from Chinese conglomerate Kuang-Chi.

The next frontier

The VR space is booming. With company’s left and right coming out with their own version of virtual reality goggles, the market could reach $10.4 billion by 2020, especially with some manufacturers making a point to offer very affordable VR goggles.

Despite the clear growth in this space, the majority of consumers do not know what VR is and that the futuristic technology already exists for public use. 

Nevertheless, ecosystems are cropping up around the bustling VR headset market, attracting niche use cases including real estate. Start VR Pty. Ltd. of Australia developed Edge 28, an app for both iOS and Android, that works with the Samsung Gear VR headset or Google Cardboard HMDs for house hunters to be able to see display units at Sydney’s St Leonards. If gesture control is applied to this, it could enhance the VR tour by allowing house hunters to open doors or cabinets as they explore the property.

This technology could also be used by those in the building construction business. One such service is construction360.co.uk which was created by Steve Townsend, a specialist Construction Photographer with degrees in BSc. in Civil Engineering and a MSc. in Geotechnical Engineering. One of the services he offers is a 360º virtual reality tour of construction sites to highlight a building’s selling points. With the integration of gesture control, much like in the house tour, investors could explore sites thoroughly like they were there themselves.

To learn more about eyeSight’s new gesture control for VR, watch the video below:

 photo credit: szczym via photopin cc