Softkinetic, the leading provider of 3D gesture recognition software, today announced the release of iisu 2.1. Softkinetic has pioneered the way people interact with digital content by removing the need for a controller and allowing them to command experiences with their body movements. The next iteration of iisu introduces features that will further accelerate the adoption of 3D gesture recognition solutions for use in both business and consumer applications.

"Softkinetic has been at the forefront of development for 3D gesture recognition technologies and are now bringing an enhanced update of iisu to the market that offers developers many more opportunities to develop next-generation, gesture-based applications and visualize them with 3D avatars," said Eric Krzeslo, chief strategy officer at Softkinetic. "iisu 2.1 is a major step in our strategy to introduce our technology into consumers’ homes and provide users with a novel, natural experience with the digital world."

The result of five years of research and development, iisu recognizes gestures and movements in real time, captured by a single 3D depth-sensing camera. The technology has already been incorporated into large-scale applications for gaming, multimedia systems, fitness and virtual training.

Following its strategy to be the leader in this dramatically expanding industry, Softkinetic has recently created Softkinetic Studios — a subsidiary focused exclusively on developing 3D camera-based content — as well as established a joint venture with Optrima NV to bring integrated hardware/software solutions to the market. Additional key partners are Texas Instruments and Orange Vallée.

"Texas Instruments believes that the market for 3D imaging is expanding rapidly and will experience a surge of growth in the coming months," said Debasish "Ron" Nag, director of business development at Texas Instruments. "Softkinetic’s cutting-edge iisu technology, soon available on TI’s OMAP and DaVinci technology, empowers our customers to not only create innovative 3D products, but also bring them to market quickly. The latest enhancements in version 2.1, such as a Full Body Skeleton Extraction System, more advanced multi-user tracking and 2X faster performance give development teams even greater ways to utilize this technology."

Listed below are some of the new features and enhancements that iisu 2.1 introduces:

• - A Full Body Skeleton Extraction System that enables developers to create realistic, real-time, third-person avatars
• - Improved tracking robustness and occlusion management
• - New architecture facilitating adaptation to platforms with limited processing resources in consumer electronics and embedded systems
• - More advanced multi-user tracking with up to four players, including skeleton and programmable scene management
• - Easier to use SDK API tools and movie management
• - 2X faster performance
• - Support for all 3D cameras from Canesta, Mesa Imaging, Prime Sense, Optrima, Optronic, Optex, Panasonic and PMDTec.