5* Magic Wand: a RGBD camera-based 5 DoF pointing device for 3D interaction

Abstract

This paper introduces the 5* Magic Wand, an inexpensive pointing device for 3D interaction. As users play the role of a “wizard”, the 5* Magic Wand allows them to interact with the computer by pointing to places, performing gestures, and casting “spells”. We have developed computer vision techniques to track the wand with 5 degrees of freedom, and built a real-time prototype consisting of a standard PC, a RGBD camera, and a simple stick. Finally, in order to demonstrate the applicability of the system for navigating in virtual environments, we have created a 3D application called “Magic Carpet”.