Microsoft Demonstrates Infrared Control for Phones

During a conference, Microsoft unveiled a technology that allows cell phones to be operated without touching them. The technique works with small infrared sensors on the edge of the device.

The technique, Sidesight, makes it possible to control a telephone or other electronics up to ten centimeters from the device. Microsoft presented the technique in a paper at the User Interface Software and Technology meeting in California, writes gear log.

The controls work as follows. The sensors ‘see’ fingers near the device due to the reflection of infrared light. By using various sensors among each other, the device can determine from the combined sensor information which movement the finger is making. For example, a scrolling movement on the telephone can be detected. This allows the phone user to scroll in the air. If the finger quickly comes close, the combined sensors can detect it as a click.

Microsoft has done a test with an HTC Touch, on which ten infrared sensors from Avago were mounted. They were connected to a PC via USB. The PC was reconnected to the phone via bluetooth, so that the menu of the phone could be operated with the sensors. Sidesight can be used as a replacement for touchscreen on phones, or as a replacement for the navigation pad. It is not yet known when Sidesight will be built into telephones for the first time.