Cameraphone works as a PC mouse

UK researchers have created software that allows a cameraphone to act as a computer mouse.

The Bluetooth-based technology is a joint effort between research teams at the universities of York and Newcastle.

The software could allow users to search for product information, or buy train and plane tickets, by interacting with public displays.

A screen cursor could be controlled by moving the cameraphone handset or manipulating a stylus from anywhere in the room.

The software uses the phone's live camera feed to help locate coordinates on the monitor, which are then sent back to the phone via a Bluetooth connection.

The researchers admitted that, while the technology offers huge potential, it still has some way to go.

"The image capture and image processing rate on the mobile phone is quite slow and you cannot move the phone as quickly as you would like to. This is what we would like to address in our next prototype," said York researcher Nick Pears.