Touchless HMI technologies to enter consumer market

Initially, touchless sensing technologies were used in applications such as bathroom dispensing units and automatic doors which required motion sensing in order to create responses. However, due to the wide adoption of touchless sensing technologies such as gesture sensing, voice commands, brain wave sensing and eye tracking, the application potential of these solutions has expanded into consumer electronics. According to Frost & Sullivan, gesture sensing is the most promising touchless interface technology in consumer application segments. 

Although touch technologies are a dominant paradigm in HMIs, with the physical keyboard becoming less common, this is being challenged by touchless HMI technologies. However, due to the dominance of touch HMI technologies, users need to be encouraged to adopt this alternative. Touchless sensing technology providers also have challenges in which they need to address, such as technical limitations including accuracy rates.

Various approaches and methodologies are constantly being investigated to improve user interaction with digital devices,” commented Jabez Mendelson, Technical Insights Research Analyst, Frost & Sullivan. “Touchless sensing technology presents itself as one such approach offering numerous benefits to users, including easy and natural interaction with digital devices.”

“Despite these challenges,OEM choose to use these next-gen touchless technologies in high-end and everyday products,” added Mendelson. “Speech recognition, eye tracking and gesture technology providers should offer low-cost solutions to aid end-product manufacturers achieve this objective.”