At the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut in Berlin, Germany researchers have developed an interesting clinical patient monitor that features some unusual smarts. It looks like a regular computer monitor with an attached webcam and a couple cams near the bottom, but the device interfaces with various equipment inside the room and displays what is most important for clinicians to see at the time. The webcam is used to recognize people in the room, estimate how far away they are, and to spot any known gestures they may be performing.
The distance measurement is used change the size of the text and other details being displayed on the screen. So that when a physician is looking at it across the screen the objects are large. Walking over to the display automatically reduces the objects’ size and increases the level of detail the system displays.
Because sterile environment is a constant issue inside hospitals, it’s best to stay contact-free, so the device uses basic hand gesture recognition. Since it works at a distance, the person using it doesn’t have to actually walk over to the device in order to control it and to see the results of each action.
Project page: SmartCareUnit Leitwarte…
Via: Fraunhofer