The actual plot and details have become fuzzy as 13 years have past since the release of the Minority Report, but the scene where Tom Cruise uses his hand gestures to orchestrate the virtual floating screens have become a significant part of science fiction. Although we knew it was only made possible through movie magic, it got us wondering when we’d be able to see the technology actually happen in real life.
It seems Google has come awfully close to doing exactly that with Project Soli. According to a Youtube video posted by Google’s Advanced Technology and Progress (ATAP) group, Google has created a tiny radar sensor that is able to accurately track subtle hand gestures at high speed and use them to control electronic devices without physical contact. Compared to camera sensors, radar sensors can work through materials and fit into microchips, taking up very little space.
Project Soli could really prove to be a game changer by potentially removing all kinds of knobs and buttons on the surface of digital devices and revolutionize the way we interact with them.