Your wish is my command | Bangkok Post: tech

Having to create a username or password to access or command a computer or other wireless devices could be a thing of the past in the near future with the emergence of sensor control technology that could completely overhaul computing systems.

A computer can sense or detect finger movements and gestures, allowing users to play interactive computer games more easily.

Given the greater power of processors, sensors, wireless communications and embedded intelligent software, some computer makers are introducing explicit "moral sensibility" into computer systems. The computer revolution is being driven toward a paradigm shift to an "anywhere computer" era, which means computing can be used to recognise emotional information of users.

"This technology is expected to be introduced in the commercial market over the next five years," said Brian Johnson, a futurist at Intel Corporation, the world's largest chip maker.

He said Intel's labs had developed technology that can change any surface, such as a panel wall or plastic, into an interactive display.

He said users need to use a depth camera for motion detection or as a motion sensor. Users can just wave their hands in the air to make a photo album appear on a wall in their home.

A future phone lets callers know what its owner is doing and lets them choose between voice call, SMS or messaging.

They might also move their hands in the air to control display content on the wall without touching the surface.

"This technology will enhance user ability to share, interact and display content or objects in a new way," said Mr Johnson.

In addition, he said computers might learn to sense human emotions in the near future.

Intel's labs are developing emotional composition that allows users to use mobile phones to take photos and bring up the on larger interactive displays.

Mr Johnson said mobile phones in the future may display user status. For instance, a phone could detect that users are running and it will automatically show a graphic picture of a runner to the caller.

Justin Rattner, Intel's chief of technology, said the company's labs are applying client-based authentication technology using a biometric scanner with its Ultrabook computers and smartphones to replace traditional password authentication.

By the end of the year, he said, users will start to experience a new breed of mobile computing with the convertible Ultrabook, which could function as a perceptual computer with human-like senses that can perceive user's intentions.

David Perlmutter, Intel's product chief, said consumers will no longer use a mouse or keyboard to command their computers.

Instead, they will be able to interact in a more natural way using voice, face recognition, hand and finger movement gestures and motion detection. Computers will have the ability to read and interpret these natural interfaces.

Mr Perlmutter said users could utilise voice commands to let computer search information and post on their own personal social network accounts like Twitter or Facebook automatically, or use voice commands to play favourite songs from their music library.

He demonstrated the use of an Ultrabook equipped with an interactive gesture camera that can detect hand and finger movements to allow users to play games without touching the computer. The gyroscope and accelerometer sensors, which are embedded in the device, can be used for a game machine or a learning device.

Mr Perlmutter said children can rotate or turn a virtual solar system on courseware that appears on the screen of the ultrabook device by moving their hand without touching the device, thanks to the close-range tracking algorithm of the depth camera which can detect users' hand movements.

He said the new generation of Ultrabooks will have a near-field communication (NFC) reader and Intel's identity protection technology-enabled reader embedded in the devices.

These new advance technologies will drive personal computers into the future, and reinvigorate the appeal of notebook computers over tablets and smartphones.

"We hope this new innovative technology will help maintain notebook sales in the global market, which has slipped by some one million units globally per year," said Mr Perlmutter.

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