Forecasting Weather With a Wave of the Hand

About this technology

Overview

Through a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with NASA's Johnson Space Center, Cybernet Systems Corporation integrated its gesture recognition and tracking system, which observes human hand motions and interprets gestures in order to control devices, with NASA's Virtual Astronaut software. The collaboration was for an interactive space station kiosk at a Johnson exhibit that enabled visitors to lead their own virtual space station tours using hand gestures. Building upon its success with NASA, Cybernet introduced GestureStorm,T a weather map management system that utilizes both body tracking and gesture recognition technology for televised weather reports. The GestureStorm software interface enables meteorologists to control the computerized visual effects on their weather maps using hand gestures and body movements. Previously, meteorologists prepared scripted on-air reports to coincide with the timing of graphics on the computerized maps. GestureStorm enables forecasters to directly interact with the weather picture in real time. With this technology, meteorologists control the pace of the visuals and can incorporate spontaneous close-ups with simple hand movements that seem natural to the viewing public.