Microchip has announced its patented GestIC technology, which enables the next dimension in intuitive, gesture-based, non-contact user interfaces for a broad range of end products. The MGC3130 is the world’s first electrical-field (E-field)-based, configurable 3D gesture controller, offering low-power, precise, fast and robust hand position tracking with free-space gesture recognition.

 

With power consumption as low as 150 microwatts in its active sensing state, the new component enables always-on 3D gesture recognition, even for battery-powered products where power budgets are extremely tight. The device’s low-power design and variety of configurable power modes provide the lowest power consumption of any 3D sensing technology, up to 90% lower than camera-based gesture systems.

 

GestIC technology achieves the exceptionally high gesture-recognition rates required by today’s consumer products through its on-chip library, called the Colibri Suite, of intuitive and natural human gestures. The Colibri Suite combines a stochastic Hidden Markov model and x/y/z hand position vectors to provide designers with a reliable set of recognized 3D hand and finger gestures that can be easily employed in their products. Examples include Wake-Up on Approach, Position Tracking, Flick Gestures, Circle Gestures and Symbol Gestures to perform functions such as on/off, open application, point, click, zoom, scroll, free-space mouse-over and many others. Additionally, the chip provides pre-filtered electrode signals for additional functionality.