[info] gizmodo: consumer 3d camera

[Alejandro Dubrovsky]

(
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/zcam-depth-camera-could-be-wii-challenger/zcam-3d-camera-is-like-wii-without-wiimote-and-minority-report-without-gloves-334426.php
video on site
)

ZCam Depth Camera could be Wii challenger 
ZCam 3D Camera Is Like Wii Without Wiimote and Minority Report Without
Gloves


The ZCam is the first low-cost, consumer videocamera that can capture
video with depth information and probably the first real challenger to
Nintendo's Wiimote: with its 3D capture abilities it will allow you to
play Wii-style without using any controls whatsoever. In fact, it is so
precise that it will even recognize your finger gestures to fire a
weapon or manipulate your computer like in Minority Report, but without
gloves or any other external device:

zcam.jpgThe camera has sensors that are able to measure the depth for
each of the captured pixels using a principle called Time-Of-Flight. It
gets 3D information "by emitting pulses of infra-red light to all
objects in the scene and sensing the reflected light from the surface of
each object." The objects in the scene are then ordered in layers in the
Z axis, which gives you a grayscale depth map that a game or any
software application can use.

According to manufacturer 3DV Systems, the depth resolution is quite
good: it can detect 3D motion and volume down to 0.4 inches, capturing
at the same time full color, 1.3 megapixel video at 60 frames per
second. While there have been professional cameras with depth capture in
the past, this is the first time that a device of such characteristics
is cheap enough to be built into any game system or computer.

As you can see in the video, the ZCam is completely different from the
EyeToy or any other normal 2D webcam. Even while it's not as precise and
flexible as a real full 3D motion tracking system, the videos show that
it can indeed provide with a new level of interactivity in video games
and any application—like computer user interface manipulation.

zcamtech.jpgWhile the results could be quite impressive, I'm not
convinced about some of the applications. The flight simulator, for
example, seems to work great. However, unlike boxing, I have the feeling
that I wouldn't be able to control a plane without actually grabbing
something. Of course, I can pick anything to give me that feeling, just
like a Nintendo Wiimote. But then again, in flight simulator games you
want an actual joystick, so the "phantom" feeling of not having force
feedback is the same for the ZCam and the Wiimote. For any other game,
like first person shooters, this kind of technology could be really good
if it lives up to its promise and developers can fully exploit it.

Its virtues could be even easier to apply in computer applications. The
demonstration in the video, with the guy manipulating Vista with hand
gestures, gives you a very good idea. As I use my iMac 24 to type this,
I wish I can just wave my hand in the air quickly to consult a PDF, like
Minority Report's Tom Cruise but without jumping in the sofa and scaring
Oprah. Or touching, moving and clicking the mouse.

Since the ZCam is a piece of circuitry that can be integrated anywhere,
and without taxing the CPU, I don't see why companies like Apple or Dell
wouldn't adopt them for future desktop and portables. However, the
technology has just been officially announced this week and it's too
soon too tell. Whatever happens, it's good to see such a device coming
to the market. Hopefully, we will see it in action with real world
applications soon. In the meantime: