Kessler started an aggressive push for its forthcoming Fusion motion-control system this week, launching a promotional website with new details about the product, which is designed for use with existing Kessler gear like the Pocket Dolly or CineSlider. At his blog, DSLR guru Vincent Laforet summed up the buzz by saying Fusion "could seriously shake things up in the time-lapse world."

The Fusion is designed to improve on Kessler's existing Oracle motion-control system by increasing accuracy (digital vs. analog control) and adding complexity to the type of moves that can be controlled. From the looks of it so far, Fusion's software interface is both intuitive and powerful. Ramping and keyframing are controlled using bezier curves with handles.
 

The differences between the Oracle and the Fusion are laid out in an FAQ. For instance, the Oracle can control up to two axes, while the Fusion can handle multiple axes — up to 256. 
 
The Fusion's native control app will be available only for Windows (boo!) but here's the cool part — iOS and other devices will be able to connect to the Fusion Brain via WiFi, USB, or Ethernet and control it using an in-browser interface. Because the device talks directly to the Fusion system, a live Internet connection is not required. Take a look at the controls in the demo by Eric Kessler, embedded below.
 
A basic, three-axis Fusion motion-control system — consisting of a Fusion Brain, two motor bricks plus hardware to configure as a pan-and-tilt head, and a slider motor — will start at $6,000. (Bring your own slider.) Look for a demonstration of the system at NAB this year (it was at NAB last year in a less advanced form), followed by a limited release later this spring of a basic system that requires the Windows app. In June or July, a "phase 2" release brings the system's native web server online for non-Windows compatibility. Finally, premium "phase 3" features are slated to be available by year's end, including a motion-control crane, a full-size dolly, and an analog joystick/jogwheel controller.