DisplaySearch Forecasts 330M Gesture-Controlled Devices in 2015

NPD DisplaySearch analysts believe that nearly 330M smart devices with gesture-sensing will be shipped in 2015, about 70% increase over the 2014 forecast and a doubling of shipments in 2013. The adoption of 3D depth sensing becomes more accurate and affordable, not only on smartphones and tablets, but also on smart TVs, all-in-one PCs, and other large-screen devices.

Shipment Forecast for Gesture Sensing Solutions
for Smart Devices. Source: NPD DisplaySearch

"Gesture sensing is the next critical user interface trend, designed to improve the usefulness of, and user experience on, smart TVs and other large smart devices," says Calvin Hsieh, research director at NPD DisplaySearch.

The recent and planned use of 3D gesture-sensing technologies in connected smart devices includes the following:

• Mobile devices have touch screens and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) as major user interfaces, but gesture sensing exists as a supportive user interface.
• Smart TVs and other larger devices cannot leverage touch screens, which is why Samsung and other TV makers are now beginning to offer gesture sensing technologies in upcoming products.
• Game consoles (e.g., Xbox and PlayStation 4) already rely primarily on 3D gesture-sensing controls.
• PCs have not leveraged gesture sensing widely. However, Intel has proposed perceptual computing as the next dynamic for PCs in 2012.

Over the past year alone, Intel acquired Omek (gesture middleware vendor); Microsoft released the new Kinect with TOF technology for Xbox One; Sony adopted stereo vision for the new PS Camera for PlayStation 4; Apple acquired PrimeSense for its structured light technology, which could be used on future Apple TVs; and Google acquired Flutter. Also, Samsung has been applying gesture sensing to their smart TVs for the past two years.