The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) has recently selected Virtus’ proprietary sensor technologies and sensor products for developing motion detection chip for the next-generation interactive TV remote controllers to be used with HDTV and digital home applications.
ASTRI and Virtus will continue to collaborate on other motion sensing enabled applications and products. According to IMS Research, 45 million households worldwide received HDTV service via DTH, cable, IPTV and DTT at the end of 2007 with approximately the same number of HDTV sets shipped during the year. IMS Research forecasts that 255 million TV
households worldwide will be watching HDTV by the end of 2013.
For instance, the implementation of mandatory use of digital television and the ending of analog service is scheduled within the next several months in the United States. However, despite the intimate relationship with and heavy usage of the TV, consumers today still rely on a bulky remote controller with more than 50 buttons to interact with TV to access different kinds of contents, services and applications. The interaction is often detached and even impersonal. Motion Sensing, embodied today by the popular Nintendo Wii, represents a major step forward in the interaction between people and machine. However, the possibility of using these technologies extends far beyond the fun in the video game application for Consumer Electronics industry. “ASTRI’s interactive technology for next generation TV controllers provides a rich and intuitive user experience in one’s living room with the cost structure compatible with traditional remote controllers via neural network based motion recognition algorithms.
Virtus sensors provide the needed performance and competitive price as the foundation of our motion sensing and recognition technologies. The move to digital TV and convergence of DTV and broadband is expected to help stimulate the use of such systems,” said Dr Shen-Chang Chao, Vice President and Group Director, Enterprise and Consumer Electronics Group, ASTRI. “TV centric digital home products and applications using ASTRI’s leading-edge motion sensing interactive technology will enrich user’s experience, and will enable manufacturers and value-added service providers to deliver innovative interactive applications. ASTRI is making this technology available for collaboration partners via IP licensing and other arrangements.”
“This particular design in win is important for us as a young company and an indication of our capabilities of moving forward. We continue to cater to the growing Chinese market developing a strong local presence. TV remotes are one in a long, growing list of applications for our technology as the market for MEMS inertial sensors accelerates, defying the current global economic malaise”, commented Louis Ross, President & CEO of Virtus.
Virtus is planning large volume shipments to China-based TV remote control manufacturers starting late 2009, and the demand is expected to grow in 2010.
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