Navin Natoewal is General Manager of the uWand team at Philips.
uWand is a new class of ‘remote touch’ technology from Philips. When embedded in remote controls it gives users fluid and accurate direct pointing and 3D gesture control on multiple electronic devices – TVs, set-top boxes, DVD players, PCs or games consoles. Unlike controls based on touch pads and gyroscopes, it is an inherently intuitive experience for point-and-click control.
As a complete firmware technology uWand can be implemented easily into traditional button-based remote controls. It provides service providers and manufacturers with an opportunity to build pointing and 3D gesture control into their devices and service offerings. The uWand technology is offered to 3rd parties, such that every manufacturer can take full advantage of the power of pointing. uWand adds a new dimension in a busy and evolving marketplace.
Once embedded in a remote device, uWand technology provides an intuitive interaction with TV based content. It offers a more sophisticated ‘lean back’ experience and enables consumers to interact with media-rich services in the same way they do with a PC, but without being tethered to a mouse.
Homes equipped with remotes embedded with uWand technology have shown a return on investment of 204% for service providers through the increased use of premium services.
