The 3D sensor that could change our mobile lives

PrimeSense's 3D sensor, Capri is designed for mobile devices

(Credit: Paul Sloan)

LAS VEGAS -- When the company behind the gesture technology in the Kinect came to CES a year ago to show how its 3D sensors can enable people to control their TVs with simple gestures, its execs talked about how their sensors eventually would be embedded in mobile devices, opening up a range of possible applications.

At CES 2013, that company, Israeli-based PrimeSense, showed off the tiny sensor it says will soon make that a reality.

PrimeSense's new 3D sensor, called Capri, is 10 times smaller than its current sensor and, according to the company, the smallest in the world. The design, says PrimeSense, allows for improved capabilities that it says will soon find its way into PCs, tablets, laptops, phones, various robots and much more.

PrimeSense president and founder Aviad Maizels told me that the company is delivering these sensors to device makers in the coming months -- he wouldn't name which ones -- and that a bevy of small consumer products should come embedded with Capri in 2014.

Now that you, the consumer, would be aware of it. Whe... [Read more]