An interactive, zone-based installation enables a user to interact with an object, such as a retail product, an appliance, a food item, a poster, a non-touch screen monitor, an object of nature, or any other of a number of various items. A user approaches the object and reaches for it. The installation displaying the object has a sensor such as a camera. The sensor is coupled to a processor and continuously feeding an image depth buffer stream. Within the field of view of the sensor is a 3D zone. The zone is strategically positioned near or around the object. When a user reaches for the object there is a change in the depth buffer data stream. If this change exceeds time and sensitivity thresholds implying an intentional gesture by the user, an output event is triggered by the processor.
Gesture and touch-based interactivity with objects using 3D zones in an interactive system