Date:25/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/25/stories/2008112552030500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Technology on the anvil to interact with computer

Special Correspondent

IIT-Madras and HP Labs join hands
for the research

CHENNAI: It might soon be time to say goodbye to your keyboard and mouse. Instead, you could start interacting with your computer just as you do with a friend: through speech, gestures and touch.

The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and HP Labs are developing the technology to operate the multimodal interfaces of future computing. The research project at the IIT’s computer science department has been awarded a multi-year grant of $50,000-$70,000 a year as part of the HP Labs Innovation Research Awards 2008.

“We believe the next billion [computer] customers from emerging markets need more intuitive and natural interfaces,” said Ajay Gupta, director of HP Labs, India.

The awards, launched this year, are meant to streamline funding for strategic joint research projects between academic research institutions worldwide and Hewlett Packard’s research arm. Having reviewed more than 450 proposals from 200 universities in 28 countries, HP selected 41 projects at 34 institutions, including one each at the IITs in Chennai and Mumbai, for the awards, which grant funding of up to $100,000 a year, renewable for three years. The award also includes support for one graduate student researcher.

Anurag Mittal, assistant professor, IIT-Madras, and his team of student researchers from the computer science and engineering department are setting up a facility for their research. “You should be able to move from one slide of your PowerPoint presentation to the next with just a wave of the hand,” says Dr. Mittal, who says a multiple camera set-up could be developed for such an operation.

For a personal computer, the camera on top of the screen could be adapted. In the long run, the technology could lead to a home full of lifestyle appliances and entertainment devices that will respond to your movements instead of waiting for the remote button to be pressed. It’s the same technology Dr. Mittal has worked on to develop surveillance systems for the Indian Army.

“The basic technology could be in place in two years,” said Dr. Mittal. Developing a sellable product could take a bit longer.