Man-machine interface using a deformable device

1. A method for triggering input commands of a program run on a computing system, comprising:

monitoring a field of view in front of a capture device;

identifying an input object within the field of view, the input object being held in a human hand and analyzed for changes in shape;

detecting a change in the shape of the input object held in the human hand; and

triggering an input command at the program run on the computing system, the triggering being a result of the detected change in shape of the input object, the change in shape being physical of the input object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video capture device is a digital video camera.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the digital video camera tracks a color of the input object.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the digital video camera tracks reflected light from the input object.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method operation of detecting a change in shape of the input object further includes:

detecting a change in an aspect ratio of the input object; and

detecting a change in the position of the input object.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the input command causes a change in a size of an image being displayed on a monitor coupled to the computing system.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the input command causes an image being displayed on a monitor coupled to the computing system to be selected.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program is a video game and the computing system is a game console.

9. A computer implemented input detection program executed at a computing device, the input detection program having program instructions stored on a computer readable medium for determining when to trigger input commands of a main program, the input detection program, comprising:

program instructions for monitoring a field of view in front of a capture device, the capture device providing data to the input detection program;

program instructions for identifying an input object within the field of view, as held by a human hand;

program instructions for detecting a physical change in shape of the input object when held by the human hand; and

program instructions for triggering an input command at the main program run on the computing device, the triggering being a result of the detected physical change in shape of the input object.

10. The computer implemented input detection program of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions for detecting a physical change in the shape of the input object includes:

program instructions for detecting a change in an aspect ratio of the input object; and

program instructions for detecting a change in the position of the input object.

11. The input computer implemented detection program of claim 9 , wherein the computing device is a video game console.

12. The computer implemented input detection program of claim 9 , wherein the input object is a collapsible sphere.

13. The computer implemented input detection program of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions for triggering an input command causes a change in a size of an image being displayed on a monitor coupled to the computing system.

14. A computing system, the computing system having an input detection system, the input detection system determines when to trigger input commands of a main program run through the computing system, the computing system comprising:

a capture device;

circuitry for monitoring a field of view in front of the capture device;

circuitry for identifying an input object within the field of view, the input object being held in a human hand;

circuitry for detecting a physical change in shape of the input object; and

circuitry for triggering an input command at the main program run through the computing system, the triggering being a result of the detected physical change in shape of the input object.

15. The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the computing system is a game console.

16. The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the circuitry for detecting a physical change in shape of the input object includes:

circuitry for detecting a change in an aspect ratio of the input object; and

circuitry for detecting a change in the position of the input object.

17. A computing system, the computing system having an input detection system, the input detection system determines when to trigger input commands of a main program run through the computing system, the computing system comprising:

means for capturing image data;

means for monitoring a field of view in front of the capture device;

means for identifying an input object within the field of view, the input object being held by a human hand;

means for detecting a physical change in size of the input object; and

means for triggering an input command at the main program run through the computing system, the triggering being a result of the detected physical change in size of the input object.

18. The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the means for detecting a physical change in size of the input object includes:

means for detecting a change in an aspect ratio of the input object; and

means for detecting a change in the position of the input object.

19. The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the input object is a passive device.

20. The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the computing system is a game console.