Revolutionary mouse replacement technology lets users control 3D content on any size screen from any distance.

June 11, 2001

GestureTek 's new Video Gesture Control Technology allows simple intuitive gestures to perform complex interactivity, whether in the home or in a retail window.

NEW YORK CITY, NY -- GestureTek Inc., the world leader in video gesture control technology, today introduced GestTrack™ , which allows users to point at a computer monitor of any size, from kiosk to video wall, from any distance and use intuitive gestures to command and control the content.

With GestTrack™ , GestureTek Inc. extends to retailers, businesses and special markets such as architecture and medical rehabilitation the sophisticated interactive technology that it has refined for the past 12 years for museums, science centers and the entertainment industry. The company has more than 400 installations worldwide.

One of GestTrack™ 's chief roles will be to replace touch screens and kiosks, which traditionally have been limited to small displays. Interactivity typically has been limited to touching buttons or the screens themselves. With GestTrack™ , customers can scroll, zoom and rotate 3D images to look at products from all sides using intuitive gestures.

GestTrack™ 's premiere installation, at Rogers AT&T's flagship retail store in Toronto, offers potential customers a complete interactive showcase of the company's telephone, wireless and cable products and services as well as access to its rate cards and coverage maps even when the store is closed. Users stand on the sidewalk and control a large screen behind protective glass simply by pointing at it.

"Retail merchandising has experienced a revolution in its use of large screen monitors and video walls both inside the store and in store windows," according to GestureTek Inc. CEO Mark Weinreb. "We offer a practical way for retailers to create dynamic in-store interactive experiences or compelling storefront windows with which customers can interact 24 hours a day and increase sell-through by providing a better-informed, more motivated buyer."

GestureTek Inc. Puts Users in the Picture
The Technology allows users to insert themselves into the picture, creating a multitude of possibilities from trying on wedding gowns to walking through malls or marketplaces.

There are also applications in education and training, security, fitness and rehabilitation. Physical therapists in four countries have used GestureTek Inc. technology to create exercise environments. Not only has this made exercise more palatable, but software which identifies body parts and even anticipates their movement, keeps records that therapists can use to track patient progress.

"The applications are endless," says Weinreb. "You could stand at Home Plate at Yankee Stadium and point at the scoreboard to control it or you could be examining a new car model from all angles by pointing at your own computer screen."

GestureTek Inc. performed a dramatic demonstration with the Canadian Government of how the company's technology could be used over broadband networks. Four people were placed in a virtual village where they interacted over the Internet with characters and one-another while exploring cultural attractions. "Last year, this sort of experience was the domain of scientists and Hollywood," said Weinreb. "This year, our technology, combined with large displays and broadband connectivity, has made it a practical, affordable marketing and business tool."

Weinreb says that GestTrack™ may eventually replace the mouse for many desktop applications and be used as a controlling device for game consoles. "Our goal as a company is to make interactivity with a computer comfortable, seamless and natural," Weinreb said.

GestTrack™ and other GestureTek Inc. technologies can be viewed June 13 - 15 at INFOCOMM, BOOTH 22126 at the Sands Expo Centre in Las Vegas or at more than 400 installations around the world.

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About GestureTek Inc.
GestureTek is the inventor, pioneer and world leader in video gesture-based control technology, with over 16 years of engineering development resulting in over 600 installations worldwide including entertainment, retailing, museum, and corporate communication applications. Products include GestTrack™ for mouse replacement, including large screen interactivity, and GestXtreme™ applied to immersive videogame systems, location-based entertainment and GestXtreme™ Broadband Virtual Conferencing Technologies. GestureTek is located at 317 Adelaide Street West in Toronto, with additional offices in Ottawa, San Francisco and New York.

For information and/or a video, contact GestureTek Inc. at 1-800-315-1189 ext. 231