Wavi Xtion brings Kinect-style motion controls to the PC

Asus has developed a device that will let you operate your PC with gestures, in the same way as Microsoft's Kinect peripheral lets you control Xbox games by flailing around your living room like a nutjob.

The Wavi Xtion system comprises two Wavi boxes (below) and an Xtion camera (above), which you slap on top of your TV. The Wavi boxes wirelessly stream data received from the camera between your computer and telly. The end result is that you can surf the Web, browse your media and stalk your friends on social networks by waving your arms about in front of your goggle-box.

Judging from the press release, it sounds like motion-controlled PC gaming isn't on the cards using the system, nor will you be able to fill out Excel spreadsheets by dancing around like a loon. But the system could be a goer, if for no other reason than PrimeSense has had a hand in its creation -- the company's sensing and recognition technology is a key part of the phenomenally successful Kinect.

Asus will also release an Xtion Pro development kit for the system in February. Xtion Pro will allow developers to create gesture-based applications and software that they can flog in the forthcoming online Xtion store. That could be good news for all the impoverished Kinect hackers out there.

Wavi Xtion is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2011, for a currently undisclosed price. It will, however, be on display at annual tech shindig CES, so our brave lads on the show floor will have a hands-on for you just as soon as they've run out of chips at the casino.