Monday, September 17, 2012

D8: Microsoft Demonstrates Project Natal For Xbox 360 Console

At the D: All Things Digital conference in Rancho Palos Verdes California this morning, Microsoft (MSFT) this morning did a demo of Project Natal, the new input approach for the Xbox 360. The idea is that you are the controller; it responds to your full body gestures.

A sensor sits on the Xbox; it creates an avatar on a screen. If I kick, I kick. I wave, the avatar waves. There is skeletal tracking of all the joints in real time. Three ingredients. One, a 3D camera, capturing people or objects. Also an RGB camera to take pictures and videos. And finally, a full array microphone, that picks up your voice, and those of everyone in the room.

Kara Swisher‘s son Louie is on stage to help with the demo of a game prototype.

The demo they’re showing involves hitting moving targets with your hands or legs. Whee!

The actual games will be unveiled at E3 in a few weeks. There will be a new name for Project Natal announced at that time as well.

Okay, so I’m not yet persuaded. Let’s wait for E3 to the real thing.

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