Apple is working on some patents to make a particular camera for its Macs that allows 3D mapping and gesture control
The rumors about recent patents filed by Apple continue. This time the Cupertino-based company is talking about a new 3D camera for Macs and beyond. The camera would serve for the management of actions and commands to be imposed on the electronic device with a simple hand gesture.
According to the US Patent & Trademark Office, the patents regarding this 3D camera were filed by Apple both in August 2015 and last February. The designs, according to sources close to Cupertino, come from the PrimeSense team, an Israeli company recently acquired by Apple. The document states that the patents of the Californian group are for the manual management of games. A news that could open new scenarios in the Apple house. Is the U.S. company preparing to revolutionize the playability on smartphones and PC, or is it thinking of a dedicated console to be used only with the use of manual gestures?
How it works
The device allows the 3D mapping of a particular section of space, namely the one hit by the light beam of the 3D camera. This camera will include diffractive optical element (DOE), a system usually used for deep mapping. This type of technology is usually only used in the latest generation of interactive video games. In practice, the user uses his hand to shoot, jump and perform various actions without the use of a controller or other devices. These are technologies currently seen almost only in science fiction movies, such as Minority Report. According to some experts, this project also indicates the intention for Apple to make in the near future a particular virtual reality viewer. Obviously a viewer that allows functions never seen before.