Kwangwoon University Faculty Startup OpticMix Unveils AI-Based Touchless Hand-Gesture Sensor at Viva Technology 2026 in France
– Introduces next-generation “Air Touch” vision sensor that enables users to control displays with hand gestures in mid-air –
OpticMix, a faculty startup from Kwangwoon University led by CEO Lee Hwan Hwang, participated in Viva Technology 2026 (VivaTech 2026), Europe’s largest startup and innovation technology exhibition held in Paris, France, and presented its touchless hand-gesture interaction solution using an AI-based 3D vision sensor.
OpticMix is a faculty startup established based on research outcomes accumulated at Kwangwoon University through the Immersive Content Device Technology Research Center, an Information Technology Research Center (ITRC) project supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The technology unveiled by OpticMix is a next-generation human-machine interface (HMI) that allows users to control a display using only hand gestures in mid-air, without physically touching the screen. Without the need for gloves or separate controllers, the system recognizes the position and movement of the user’s hand and supports functions such as selecting buttons, switching screens, scrolling, and zooming in and out. The technology can be applied across a wide range of industries, including healthcare, mobility, industrial displays, and public kiosks.
The vision sensor developed by OpticMix combines stereo cameras with AI-based 3D hand-joint recognition technology to track the position and movement of a user’s fingertips in real time. In particular, the company has applied its proprietary calibration algorithm to ensure stable hand-gesture recognition across a wide field of view and even near the edges of a display, overcoming the limitations of conventional vision sensors in terms of recognition range and accuracy.
In environments where hygiene is critical, such as hospitals, users can operate medical images and equipment interfaces without touching a screen. Inside vehicles, drivers can control navigation, music, and climate-control systems through hand gestures while keeping their eyes on the road. The technology can also reduce repeated physical contact with public kiosks and digital signage, while providing an intuitive interface in industrial environments such as smart factories and cleanrooms, where workers are often required to wear gloves.
During Viva Technology 2026, OpticMix conducted technology demonstrations for global corporations, investors, automakers and automotive parts manufacturers, as well as representatives from the healthcare and smart-device industries. The company presented a variety of potential applications, including touchless medical interfaces, in-vehicle infotainment control, public kiosks, digital signage, and industrial HMI solutions. It also discussed potential partnerships involving sensor supply and integration with its software development kit (SDK).
Professor Leehwan Hwang of Kwangwoon University’s Department of Immersive Convergence Content, who also serves as CEO of OpticMix, said, “OpticMix’s touchless interaction technology is not simply intended to replace conventional touchscreens. It is a next-generation interface technology designed to enable more natural communication between people and digital devices.”
He added, “It is particularly meaningful that the research outcomes generated through the university’s ITRC human-resource development program are now being developed into actual products and services.”
Professor Hwang continued, “We are also recruiting graduates who developed their expertise through the program as professional employees of the company, enabling us to advance the technology and pursue commercialization together. We will expand demonstrations and partnerships across a range of industries, including healthcare, mobility, and smart manufacturing, so that the university’s research achievements and talent-development outcomes can lead to startups, job creation, and global commercialization.”
Building on its participation in Viva Technology 2026, OpticMix plans to expand collaboration with global medical-device companies, automakers and parts manufacturers, display companies, and public-kiosk operators. Going forward, the company intends to commercialize its technology by supplying AI-based touchless sensors and SDKs to corporate customers, with the goal of becoming a leading provider of core vision-sensor technologies for industrial applications.
