Broadcom Adds 3DiJoy Motion Sensing Support To Set Top Box Chipset

Just imagine accessing your favourite online games site via your set-top box and choosing the game you want to play and start playing it instantly, using the same motions has you would with a Wii or Microsoft Kinetic game console.  Well, the technology has arrive and soon service providers will be supplying these set-top boxes (STB) that have motion sensing technology to allow us to play games using only gestures.

In collaboration with 3DiJoy Technologies Broadcom has integrated support for motion-sensing video game into its BCM7231 IP Set-top box System-on-a-chip platform.  The new BCM7231 SoC solution has an integrated optimised Bluetooth gaming stack to power the gestural remote for use with 3DiJoy motion sensing video gaming technology. It also features a 3D graphics acceleration engine for OpenGL ES 2.0 applications and advanced 3D gaming graphics.

It means that in the future children educational and entertainment television programs will make it easier for children to interact with what they are watching.  Rather than using a remote or keyboard they will be able to interact using something that is easier to handle in order to communicate with the set-top box. Content provider will be able to develop new and innovative programs that not only let the child look and listen but participate by using their arms, legs and possibly speech.

In addition to the above, Broadcom has bigger plans for its Bluetooth platform; when integrated into set-top boxes they foresee us using other Bluetooth devices, such as smartphones and tablets to communicate with our set-top box. We will be able to stream audio, photos, videos from our TV to our phones or other Bluetooth enabled devices.

The solution has also create more revenue generating opportunities for services providers, because we will be able to access services that we would otherwise access through our computer, game console or some other specialist device.

The collaboration between these two companies has created a solution that will change the way we use our set-top box forever.