Gesture remote control¶

This project is a gesture recognition remote video control demo based on the Quectel Pi M2 Smart Single-Board Computer.

The system captures hand images via a camera and combines AI gesture recognition algorithms to achieve a natural interaction experience for controlling video playback, progress, and volume through mid-air gestures.

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Development Resources¶

Development Accessories List¶

Note: The development accessories are for reference only. Different development environments may vary. For example, if you develop via SSH remote connection, a display may not be required.

Accessory	Quantity	Specifications
Quectel Pi M2 Smart Single-Board Computer	1	-
USB-C Power Cable & Charger	1	Official 45W USB Type-C Power Supply for Raspberry Pi 5, White Color, US Plug
HDMI Type-A Male Cable	1	HDMI 2.0; cable length 1 m; connectors: HDMI-A (male) to HDMI-A (male)
Ethernet Cable	1	Length: 1m; Speed: Gigabit
USB Camera Module	1	UGREEN HD USB Camera with Microphone (2K 4MP Auto Focus)
Display	1	24-inch HDMI Monitor

Accessories Reference Photo¶

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Quick Start¶

Preparation¶

The Quectel Pi M2 Smart Single-Board Computer comes pre-installed with the Debian 13 system image, so there is no need to flash the image again. Simply follow the steps below.

Hardware Connection¶

Complete all the following hardware connections. The numbering corresponds to the interface diagram:

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Display Connection: Choose the connection method based on your monitor’s interface. Here we use Option 2: connect one end of the Micro HDMI cable to the main board’s Micro HDMI port and the other end to the monitor’s HDMI port.
1. Option 1 (HD): Connect one end of the FPC ribbon cable to the MIPI port on the Quectel Pi M2, and the other end to the monitor’s MIPI port. Refer to the MIPI for details.
2. Option 2 (Compatible): Connect one end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI port on the Quectel Pi M2, and the other end to the monitor’s HDMI port.
Network Connection: Connect the Quectel Pi M2 Ethernet port to the router’s LAN port using an Ethernet cable.
Peripheral Connection: Plug the USB keyboard, mouse, and USB camera into the USB-A ports on the Quectel Pi M2. For wireless keyboard/mouse, simply plug the receiver into a USB port.
Power Connection: Finally, plug the USB-A end of the power cable into the power adapter, and the USB-C end into the power port on the Quectel Pi M2.

Project Setup¶

Open a terminal on the Smart Single-Board Computer and clone the project code using git.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y git
git clone https://github.com/Quectel-Pi/demo-gesture-remote-control.git

After execution, a demo-gesture-remote-control folder should be generated in the current directory.

Run the following commands sequentially in the terminal on the Smart Single-Board Computer. If the terminal displays Deployment complete, the deployment is successful.

cd demo-gesture-remote-control
sudo chmod 755 install.sh
./install.sh

If an error occurs during the execution of ./install.sh, or if the terminal does not display “Deployment complete”, do not proceed with the subsequent steps. First verify that the network connection is working, then return to the project root directory and re-run install.sh.

Open a new terminal and verify the Python version. An output of Python 3.10.15 indicates a successful installation.

python3 --version

Running the Program¶

Navigate to the src directory and run main.py to start the program. If the program starts successfully, a camera feed window will open.

cd demo-gesture-remote-control/src/
python3 main.py

Gesture Mapping¶

Ensure the camera is facing the user’s operating area with stable lighting conditions.

Gesture	Control Function
Open Palm (5 fingers)	Play
Fist	Pause
Swipe Right	Fast Forward 5s
Swipe Left	Rewind 5s
Swipe Up	Volume +5%
Swipe Down	Volume -5%

FAQ & Troubleshooting¶

Camera Not Recognized¶

Symptom:

No available camera device found

Solution:

Check if the camera is properly connected to the USB port.
Use the following command to check if the camera is detected:

ls -la /dev/video*

Try a different USB port.
If the issue persists, use a powered USB hub.
Re-plug the USB camera.

“No module named cv2” Error When Running main.py¶

Symptom:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'cv2'

Solution:

This usually means install.sh did not complete successfully. Return to the project root directory and re-run the installation script:

cd demo-gesture-remote-control
./install.sh

Application Demo¶

gesture-remote-control

Technical Support & Contributions¶

If you encounter any issues during use, feel free to submit a technical inquiry on the Quectel Official Forum. Our technical support team will respond promptly.

Open-source project repository: https://github.com/Quectel-Pi/demo-gesture-remote-control

Issues and Pull Requests for bug reports and code contributions are welcome!