Remote Control Tech Enables Gaming on Smart TV
By
| August 6, 2013
Health service provider Philips Royal’s uWand, the camera-based direct pointing remote control technology, is partnering with video game publisher Gamious to bring same-screen multiplayer gaming to Smart TVs for the first time. The partnership with Philips uWand allows Gamious to enter the Smart TV market, something that wasn’t possible with the controllers that are now provided with Smart TVs, said Pim Bouman, CEO at Gamious. “Now, on Smart TV, we can give players the same immersive experience that they’ve come to expect from console based gaming and new mobile platforms,” he said.
Philips upgraded its direct point technology to enable up to four uWand equipped remotes to be used simultaneously and to individually control distinct on-screen elements. The uWand technology uses an infrared camera embedded within the body of a remote control. The camera monitors the remote’s position relative to a small ‘beacon’ on the TV. Gamious will demonstrate the new feature with its latest title, Dark Day LA. In the game, one player assumes the role of a vampire trying to mingle with the crowds, while the other is a police sniper looking to track the vampire down.
“TV is a social experience and gaming is a social experience, but until now a multiplayer gaming experience has required a games console. Our technology and partnership with Gamious shows how that gap can be bridged and new audiences addressed,” said Navin Natoewal, General Manager at Philips uWand. “We are seeing growing consumer demand for a more sophisticated TV remote control, both for navigating complex Smart TV EPGs and also for multiplayer gaming. uWand technology is the answer.”