Movea unveils full body motion capture and gesture recognition system with 9 axis IMU Body Area Network


Low cost, wireless MotionPods with SmartMotion™ technology prove valuable for gaming and sports applications.

Grenoble, France, June 28, 2011 -- Movea, a world leader in motion technology, now enables full body gesture recognition with its recently launched MEMS-based MotionPod™ solution for low cost, full body motion capture. The solution can be used to enable more realistic avatar motion for gaming or highly accurate biomechanical analysis for sports applications and is now available for B2B customers in the sports and entertainment markets.

Together with its jointly run research partner, the Motion Lab, Movea has developed a MEMS sensor-based, full body motion capture system, enabling a computerized avatar to reproduce a person’s body movements in real-time, with an accuracy that matches the efficiency of more expensive video systems.

“By attaching MotionPods on a person’s body limbs, our system can track any movement in 3D to a fine degree of accuracy. We have developed a biomechanical model taking into account human constraints such as the fact that a knee can only bend forward,” explained Bruno Flament, Movea CTO. “This model therefore can reproduce human body motion realistically and accurately.”

In addition to tracking motion in real time, Movea has developed expertise in live gesture recognition. Movea has been pioneering gesture recognition for use in remote controls and computer mice. Gesture recognition allows consumers to control televisions and personal computers through simple hand gestures and the ability to create user-specific sign-on gestures. These techniques are now being used for the first time for full body gesture recognition. The full body positional information and motion is compared in real-time against a library of full body gestures. For example, in the case of a yoga or martial arts application, it can help guide the user into the correct position. For an avatar in a game, Movea’s technology speeds up the game action such as taking an arrow out of a quiver and firing it from a bow as the early detection feature recognizes the start of a gesture without having to wait for it to be completed, triggering the game action early and ensure a continuous user experience.

“Our new approach offers many advantages,” explained David Rothenberg, World Wide Marketing Manager for Movea. “It is an incredibly simple to use, extremely accurate, and low cost solution that does not come with the expense or operational constraints of more complex video-based systems. We have packaged all our expertise in motion technology into an off the shelf, ready to use solution.”

Traditional full body motion capture typically uses dots or balls attached to a suit worn by actors with cameras capturing their movement. This efficient but costly system requires a fully equipped motion capture room, experienced users and sophisticated programs to convert this into usable information controlling computer avatars. The optical-based systems approach, whether it is for movie animation, sports or gaming, limits the field of action as the actor or player needs to remain in a defined Motion Capture Volume without obstacles that would obstruct camera’s vision.

Movea's solution uses up to 5 MotionPods, which each allow 6 Degrees-of-Freedom (DOF) for full 3D motion capture, and are fitted to key parts of the body to form a Body Area Network (BAN) that enables detailed full body motion to be captured in real time with dynamic accuracy of one degree. These Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) transmits highly accurate movement information through a 2.4GHz wireless link to a MotionController™ central receiver unit, plugged into a computer via a USB port.

MotionPod
The MotionPod™ is a patented hardware solution for motion sensing that incorporates a 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis magnetometer in fully integrated package complete with software and wireless interface. The MotionPod measures 33x22x15mm (1.3”x0.8”x0.6”) and weighs 14g (0.5 oz). It is designed to clip onto a bracelet or strap for easy attachment to the body. Each MotionPod has a built-in, 2.4GHz wireless transmitter that uses Movea’s proprietary wireless technology to deliver a range of up to 30m (100 ft) with very low power consumption to maximise battery life, providing up to 8 hours of usage.

SmartMotion by Movea
Movea is a leading provider of motion processing chips, software, firmware, and IP for the Consumer Electronics industry. Movea's unique motion processing capabilities enable customers and partners to quickly add motion intelligence to their products, meaning reduced risk, cost, and Time-to-Market for delivering compelling new motion-based features that create more end-user value. Movea has a global reach with headquarters in Grenoble, France, a U.S. subsidiary in Silicon Valley, California, as well as technology partners, manufacturing partners and distributors around the world. Further information about Movea can be found at http://www.movea.com.

Movea contact:
North America: Mark Karayan, Stearns Johnson, E-Mail: movea@stearnsjohnson.com, Tel: +1 415.397.7600
Europe and ROW: Nigel Robson, Vortex PR, Tel: +44 (0) 1481 233080, nigel@vortexpr.com

SmartMotion, MotionPod and MotionController are trademarks of Movea SA
Posted by No comments:

UK Forestry returns up for fifth consecutive year says AAA


Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) have announced that forestry investment returns in the UK have exceeded other major markets, such as commercial property, over the past year.

Boston, MA, USA, June 28, 2011 -- Investors in UK commercial forests have learnt this week that returns exceeded other major markets, such as commercial property, over the past year, explained Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA).

The alternative investment analysis organization said that the increased returns were great news for the international demand for alternatives - proving that ethical investments can also be lucrative ones.

The IPD UK Forestry Index shows that returns for 2010 reached 20 per cent, which is the highest rate since 2007. Strong demand was behind the growth in returns, according to the analysts at IPD.

AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson explained, “Strong demand from all sectors meant that forestry investment in the UK was protected from the downturn, which affected many other similar assets over the period."

Analysts at AAA added that forestry has also performed well as an asset in developing countries such as Brazil, where the government is encouraging foreign investment in plantations run by businesses like Greenwood Management, which are homing in on the opportunities created by demand from China, India and the domestic steel industry.

The IPD UK Forestry Index sponsors’ committee talked about why the asset is so lucrative for investors, "The UK’s commercial forests are a unique renewable asset. The growth of competing demands for both sustainably grown wood products and for wood based energy and heat generation underpin their value.”

They continued, "Forests have a key role to play in carbon capture and sustainable development. This value will be realised on a sustainable basis only if UK government policies balance the interests of the owners of forests and competing wood using sectors."

IPD's analysts commented that timber prices were up by 38.5 per cent in the year to March 2011 and that the returns investors should expect are closely linked to these prices. AAA explained that timber prices have risen globally and are up significantly in the US and Canada where demand for timber from emerging economies is quickly exceeding supply. This level of demand is only expected to rise even faster in the coming years - leading to a widely held expectation that timber prices will also grow further, along with the need to for sustainably produced timber.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-959
Posted by No comments:

How might you save over £1000 on your life insurance? - Easy..shop around!


Money-Minder.com finds there are savings to be made on life insurance and gives top tips on how to get the best deals.

Sleaford, Lincolnshire, UK, June 28, 2011 -- Research by life and protection comparison website Money-minder.com has found that the lowest and highest premiums for simple level term life assurance bought online without advice could differ by as much as 30%.

Using one example, a 31 year old male non-smoker taking out £200,000 worth of level term life assurance for 25 years found the lowest guaranteed ‘no-fee’ premium of £9.60 pm compared to £13.58 pm from another insurer. Over the life time of the policy the difference would amount to a saving of £1194.00.

For smokers the savings could be even higher. A 31 year old male smoker taking out the same cover could pay as little as £15.59 pm for a guaranteed premium on a ‘no-fee’ deal but one insurer wanted £23.24 pm for exactly the same risk. The saving over the life-time of the policy would be £2295.00.

Women can save money too. A 27 year old female non-smoker taking out £200,000 of level term life cover for 25 years would find guaranteed ‘no-fee’ premiums between £6.40 pm and £10.00 pm on Money-minder.com. The saving made by choosing the lower premium would be £1080.00 over the term of the policy.

Ray Black, MD and founder of Money-minder.com commented: "With something simple like level term life insurance it’s very difficult to argue that it’s worth paying a bit more to get insurance from one provider over another. The trigger for making a claim is indisputable so there should be very little between the services insurers provide. Although one insurer may say that they can issue a settlement a bit quicker than another you'd have to ask yourself if that’s worth paying an extra £1000 or more for.”

10 Top tips for getting the best life insurance deals

1.Shop around! Use trusted comparison sites like www.money-minder.com to compare lots of insurers quickly.
2.Don't buy life insurance from your mortgage provider. - Previous research by Money-minder has shown that you may pay more for life insurance from your lender than by arranging it yourself.
3.Consider paying a one-off admin fee to get your insurance set up. The monthly premiums will be cheaper and you may save money in the long run.
4.Watch out for 'reviewable' premiums - Insurers can increase reviewable premiums throughout the life of the policy so what may start off as cheap insurance can become expensive. Choose ‘guaranteed’ premiums which are fixed for the life of the policy.
5.Get the right amount of cover. Some websites now have handy tools like Money-minder’s finance navigators to help you decide the type and amount of cover you need. Do your homework to ensure you know what you want before you start looking for quotes.
6.Watch out for 'lead farmers' - some websites claiming to compare life insurance are only after your personal details so that they can sell them on to insurance brokers. Be careful what personal information you give out. If in doubt give a false name and telephone number when just looking for quotes. You can give your genuine information when you find a company you trust and want to deal with.
7.Give up smoking! - Smokers pay much more for their life insurance cover than non-smokers because of the harm it can do to their health. However, once you've given up smoking for a year many insurers will rate you as a non-smoker and you'll be able to arrange cheaper life cover.
8.If you're replacing an expensive older life insurance policy with a cheaper new one, make sure your new policy is on risk before you cancel the old one. You want to avoid any periods where you are not covered.
9.Answer all questions on your application honestly. Previous medical conditions may affect the cost of your cover but if you don't disclose all relevant information your family may have problems making a claim should you die.
10.Consider the advantages of writing your life insurance policy 'in trust'. These may include avoiding some inheritance tax, your family not having to wait for probate in order to access the settlement and better control over who benefits from the policy.

-Ends-

For further information please contact:

Jason Wyer-Smith at 42 PR on 07824 818242

Notes to Editors:

To link to our site please use: http://www.money-minder.com

Money-Minder.com was founded and created by Ray Black, Dip PFS, an Independent Financial Adviser. Money-Minder.com is online personal finance website that incorporates an exclusive and unique interactive comparison service providing free genuinely online quotes and is full of useful information to help customers choose the right cover and product to suit their needs.

Money Minder Financial Services (UK) limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
Posted by No comments:

IAPAM's hCG Clinic Directory Helps hCG Expert Physicians and Patients Connect


The IAPAM offers expertly trained hCG physicians, and patients looking for physicians certified in offering hCG for weight loss, an online tool to connect: the IAPAM hCG Diet Clinic Directory.

Las Vegas, NV, June 28, 2011 -- The International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine's (http://www.iapam.com) hCG Diet Listing (http://www.iapam.com/aesthetic-resources/hcg-diet-clinics) provides consumers with a comprehensive listing of qualified IAPAM trained hCG Physicians. Patients seeking out certified physicians, who have completed the IAPAM’s hCG for Weight Loss program (http://www.aestheticmedicinesymposium.com/physician-hcg-weight-loss-training), can browse the directory to find an hCG expert physician in their area. All physicians listed on the IAPAM hCG Diet Clinic Directory page have:

- advanced training in utilizing hCG for weight loss,
- only offer pharmaceutical grade hCG, and
- all their hCG patients use the IAPAM’s comprehensive hCG Protocol Patient Guidebook.

Jeff Russell, Executive Director of the IAPAM, and a member of the expert faculty of instructors at the IAPAM's hCG Physician Weight Loss Training, comments that, "since being showcased on the Dr. Oz Show in February, patient demand for medically supervised hCG weight loss has exploded. We are seeing a correlating increase in physician-demand for the IAPAM's hCG training, to capture this growing market." To date, "well over 8,000 patients have successfully lost weight on hCG using the IAPAM's Exclusive hCG Protocol, based on Dr. Simeons manuscript, Pounds and Inches (http://www.iapam.com/dr-simeons-pounds-and-inches-manuscript.html), and the IAPAM's hCG Training is taught by a faculty who operate hCG weight loss clinics, allowing physicians and their staff to learn from the faculty's vast experience," shares Russell.

IAPAM's hCG Training is Complete and Comprehensive

Physicians who have attended the IAPAM's full day hCG Training are the best trained hCG physicians in North America. In fact, the IAPAM's hCG Training is the only medical weight loss training approved for a special medical malpractice rate for those who have attended and have been certified by the IAPAM.

The IAPAM's hCG program covers:
A detailed overview of the exclusive IAPAM hCG Protocol;
Understanding of VLCD/LCD diet programs;
Patient selection criteria;
Common medical contraindications;
Current FDA status & requirements;
Legal/Insurance considerations and special access to hCG Medical Malpractice Insurance Program; and
Weight Loss Practice Advertising & Marketing Tips and Strategies.

Registrants also receive the following practice resources:

Patient hCG Program book to offer patients (hCG friendly recipes, food journal, tips);
Waiting room presentation and proven hCG promotional materials;
Weight Management Practice Operational Manual;
Patient Charting Forms, Medical History & hCG Consent Forms; and
Special Pricing for hCG and Meal Replacement Products.

For physicians interested in adding hCG for Weight Loss, please note that all of the IAPAM's hCG Medical Weight Management seminars in 2010 and 2011 have sold out. To register for the next session in 2011, please visit: http://www.aestheticmedicinesymposium.com/physician-hcg-weight-loss-training, or contact the IAPAM at info@theiapam.com or call 1-800-219-5108 ext 708.

About the IAPAM: The International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine

The International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine is a voluntary global association of physicians and supporters, which sets standards for the aesthetic medical profession worldwide. The goal of the association is to offer education, ethical standards, credentialing, and member benefits to members around the globe. IAPAM membership is open to all licensed medical doctors (MDs), doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs), physicians assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs). The IAPAM offers aesthetic medicine and hCG medical weight management programs, including: Botox training, medical aesthetic training, laser training, physician hCG training, and aesthetic practice business training. Additional information about the association can be accessed through the IAPAM’s website (http://www.iapam.com) or by contacting:

Jeff Russell, Executive-Director
International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine (IAPAM)
1-800-219-5108 ext. 704

Websites:
Posted by No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)