Kinect Sensor for Xbox 360 Offers Full-Body and Gesture Interaction: No controllers or remotes!

Project Natal was the code name for the Kinect Sensor for Xbox 360. For $149.99 you can pre-order your very-own system from the Microsoft Store that will allow you to interact with video games with your body alone. No need for controllers or 'motes!

Presentation about the fitness benefits of the Kinect Sensor for Xbox 360:



This video is a preview of a dance game for the Xbox using the Kinect Sensor:


It would be great if I could do my Zumba moves with Kinect Sensor system and a great Xbox application!

Here's another video that explains the system in more detail, with brief interviews of innovators from Microsoft:


Here is a copy of my previous post about Project Natal:

How It Works: Microsoft's Project Natal for the Xbox 360 video from Scientific American


Microsoft gathered a wealth of biometric data to recognize the range of human movement in order to develop an algorithm for the next generation of controller-less gaming. "Natal will consist of a depth sensor that uses infrared signals to create a digital 3-D model of a player's body as it moves, a video camera that can pick up fine details such as facial expressions, and a microphone that can identify and locate individual voices."


The technology behind Natal has the potential for a range of uses beyond gaming.

Scientific American article:
Binary Body Double:  Microsoft Reveals the Science Behind Project Natal for Xbox 360

How It Works: Microsoft's Project Natal for the Xbox 360 video from Scientific American


Microsoft gathered a wealth of biometric data to recognize the range of human movement in order to develop an algorithm for the next generation of controller-less gaming. "Natal will consist of a depth sensor that uses infrared signals to create a digital 3-D model of a player's body as it moves, a video camera that can pick up fine details such as facial expressions, and a microphone that can identify and locate individual voices."


The technology behind Natal has the potential for a range of uses beyond gaming.

Scientific American article:
Binary Body Double:  Microsoft Reveals the Science Behind Project Natal for Xbox 360

Microsoft's Project Natal & "Fun" Natural User Interfaces for the Office

This looks great!

I came across the picture below today, and discovered more about it in a CNET article:

"Gesture-recognition technology, such as that seen in Project Natal, has changed the face of gaming, but Microsoft's Craig Mundie (pictured) believes it will also transform the office." (Ina Fried, CNET)


This approach looks like it incorporates visual thinking and conceptualization in a nice and fluid way.

RELATED:

"Microsoft: Future desktop PC's will transform the office" (Ina Fried, CNET UK, 7/31/09).

According to Fried, author of the the linked CNET article, Craig Mundie, at the Microsoft Research Faculty Summit this past July demonstrated the set-up in the above picture. The demonstration "...included hologram-like videoconferencing, a virtual digital assistant, and multiple surface computers, along with voice-, touch- and gesture-recognition technology. The desk in the demo was a multitouch surface computer, and the office's walls were also a display that could easily switch from being a virtual window or collection of digital photos to a corkboard of sticky notes or various workspaces. In one case, Mundie also used Project Natal-like depth cameras to put himself in the middle of an architectural demo, essentially putting himself inside a building that was not yet built."

Craig Mundie of Microsoft on the Future of Software: Digital Assistants, Natural User Interfaces, and Room Computing (Gregory T. Huang, Xconomy Seatle, 7/13/09)

The author of the above article was also at the Microsoft Research Faculty Summit and touched on the concept of natural user interfaces:

“All the things we talk about as natural user interfaces have been largely used one at a time as enhancements to [graphical user interfaces],” Mundie said. Gesture recognition, expressive responses, immersive 3-D virtual environments, and understanding of context—these advances in computing algorithms will lead to software that is “better at anticipating what you might want.”

Xbox's Project Natal Revamped for Offices? (J. Nicholas Hoover, 7/30/09)

When I find a video of the Project Natal/Surface/Natural User Interface Office in action, I'll be sure to post it!

Why this is important:

Natural user interfaces might have the potential to support more efficient and effective collaboration among people in the workplace, and the visual display of information may also support better decision-making and problem solving.

More about Project Natal: Richochet - Great Gaming for Fitness, Johnnie Chung Lee's Contribution

(Credit: CNET News)
Ina Fried, in a recent CNET Beyond Binary post, recently reviewed her experience playing Ricochet, a 3D game developed by Microsoft for Natal, the company's new gesture-recognition, controller-less Xbox gaming system. Above is a screenshot from Fried's article, Exclusive: Getting up close and personal with Natal:

Here is the video:

Ina Fried had a chance to spend some time in Redmond, Washington to explore the games in development at Microsoft, and hang out with the people responsible for Project Natal.

In her Beyond Binary article, Fried notes that the Ricochet game provides quite a workout, and this has had a positive effect on the Natal team:

"Since I started working on this project, I've lost almost like 10 pounds," said Kudo Tsunoda, general manager of Microsoft Game Studios and the creative director for Project Natal. "We're going to have the most in-shape development team you've ever seen."

Fans of Johnny Chung Lee will be happy to know that his work at Microsoft contributed to this game in someway, if they don't know this by now!

Who is Johnny Chung Lee? Read my post, "I wish I could be Johnny Chung Lee for a Day!".

RELATED

Speaking of Natal, it should be out next year (Ina Fried, CNET)

Gates: Natal to bring gesture recognition to Windows too

Get Up and Move Without Gear! Xbox Natal, a "smart" gaming environment.

I'm waiting for Xbox Natal to cross my path. Microsoft, can you hear me?



(I meant to write about this a while ago.)

Here are facts 5-6 out of 12, from "Project Natal in Detail" post on the XBox website:

• "Fact #5: In addition to “Project Natal” tracking your full body movement in 3-D, it also recognises your face and facial expressions. It can even detect the change of emotion in your voice. Three facts in one – yummy."

• "Fact #6: “Project Natal” remembers your face and voice so that you can connect to Xbox LIVE without the need to reach for a controller. This is the future!"

• "Fact #7: “Project Natal” is the world’s first system to combine an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone and custom processor running proprietary software. Memorise this sentence then say it out loud faster and faster."

If you visit the Project Natal website, you'll find links to related articles, a gallery of videos, and a place to sign up for news updates.