Lithuanian Company Develops 'Gesture-Based Banking'

A Lithuanian software company has created a new Kinect-based, motion-activated user interface that lets people manipulate and manage their bank accounts with a flick of the wrist.

Microsoft released its Kinect software developer kit free for download last June, allowing developers to create Windows-based applications that can interact with Kinect hardware.

Since the kit release, literally thousands of applications have popped up, taking advantage of the Kinect camera- and microphone-based input. Banking does have to be among the most surprising applications, however.

A New Spin on "Casual Banking"

Etronika CEO Kestutis Gardziulis came up with the idea for "interactive banking" after first considering all of the less-than-exciting features associated with most common banking apps.

Nevertheless, online and mobile banking continue to be a popular option for most people, so Gardziulis decided to have a little fun with the concept.

Said the CEO, "With our software, you could be on the couch at home, having a beer, all the while dealing with your bank account and kicking back." How Gardziulis came to the conclusion that managing finances and "kicking back" on a couch with a cold refreshment should go hand-in-hand is another story. (Source: engadget.com)

Facial and Voice Recognition In-the-Works

There are some motion-specific movements associated with the service. Clapping your hands together selects an icon and brings up the appropriate screen selection, while swiping back and forth navigates a virtual carousel of icons.

Etronika is also working on a facial and voice recognition feature to be released in a later version of the software, most likely to be used as a more efficient log-in method. (Source: dvice.com)