PB, I saw a press release for these earlier this week, and they look good. I like that they decode the gestures on-chip, that makes it a whole lot easier.
They don't seem to be very available just yet, only Future electronics shows anything thus far. The Microchip direct store doesn't yet have anything either. So I emailed my local Microchip sales division and we'll see where that goes.
Here's what I heard back from the local rep
Dev boards (DM160217) - will be in the ordering system in December, delivery February
Individual MGC3130 chip samples - January
Going to press without being ready makes me wonder if there isn't some competing device out there somewhere already
@NWCCTV
Being based on a capacitive approach it can be scaled up or down effectively. Small objects (fingers) close to small electrodes will give a similar response to big objects (limbs) at a distance.
One practical use is to fire up your device (eg tablet) as you approach it - I think that will make the device seem a whole lot smarter and more responsive, even if its a predominantly psychological effect.
The Microchip video doesn't really capture the usefulness of what you'll be able to do with this chip. Advancing powerpoint slides isn't a good example, given the plethora of cheap remote controls that can do the same.
The DM160217 evaluation boards are now available for pre-order at microchip direct. $169. They seem to expect shipping by 22 dec but I wouldn't necessarily rely on that.
No sign of the sample chips by themselves just yet.
By the way the Prop2 should also do gesture detection very nicely
prof_braino
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They don't seem to be very available just yet, only Future electronics shows anything thus far. The Microchip direct store doesn't yet have anything either. So I emailed my local Microchip sales division and we'll see where that goes.
near as i can tell, the chip is 5 mm square and has 0 to 15 cm range. How small did you have in mind?
It also looks like this sensor electrodes were designed to surround an LCD screen.
Lawson
http://www.parallax.com/Store/Sensors/ObjectDetection/tabid/176/ProductID/874/List/0/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName
Different method of input but the price is right!
You could make a cool, custom and cheap gesture sensor and using an array of those $2 ultrasonic sensors.
Dev boards (DM160217) - will be in the ordering system in December, delivery February
Individual MGC3130 chip samples - January
Going to press without being ready makes me wonder if there isn't some competing device out there somewhere already
@NWCCTV
Being based on a capacitive approach it can be scaled up or down effectively. Small objects (fingers) close to small electrodes will give a similar response to big objects (limbs) at a distance.
One practical use is to fire up your device (eg tablet) as you approach it - I think that will make the device seem a whole lot smarter and more responsive, even if its a predominantly psychological effect.
The Microchip video doesn't really capture the usefulness of what you'll be able to do with this chip. Advancing powerpoint slides isn't a good example, given the plethora of cheap remote controls that can do the same.
No sign of the sample chips by themselves just yet.
By the way the Prop2 should also do gesture detection very nicely