Motion controlled gaming without a handset in Microsoft Kinect

During the E3 trade show, Microsoft announced the Xbox 360 Kinect controller system. What had been code-named Microsoft Natal, the XBox Kinect is already creating excitement among gamers and non-gamers alike. The Xbox Kinect uses full-body motion capture to control games. As an add-on package to the Xbox 360 gaming system, the Kinect could be sold in November or October of this year.

Source for this article: Microsoft Xbox Kinect - Motion-controlled gaming goes hands free By Personal Money Store

The way the Microsoft Kinect operates

In order to capture your motion, the Kinect uses a two camera system. One RGB camera will recognize your face and joints, while another could be programmed specifically to recognize depth. This system tracks full-body motion and movements by combining input from these two cameras.This means there will be no controllers and no separation between game and player.

The games published to the Kinect

The Microsoft Kinect, as an add-on to the Microsoft XBox, is slated to debut with a fairly wide range of games. LucasArts is partnering with the Microsoft Kinect application designers to create a Star Wars game that could be a heavily-scripted, light-saber smash-em-up game. You will find also six “base” games that the Kinect can be released with. Many gamers are already drooling over the possibility of Halo Reach migrating to Kinect.

Is Kinect the first?

The success of the Nintendo Wii has encouraged other console makers to work on hands-free control systems. If you are willing to wait, the Microsoft Kinect won’t be your only choice for this kind of gaming. Sony’s Move system will sell for about half the price of the Kinect. The original success of the Nintendo Wii proved that gaming consoles might be sold to somebody other than just hard-core gamers. Considering that the first Microsoft XBox lost over $ 1 billion, it isn't a surprise they are trying to "add on" instead of release a new system.

Resources:

Engadget.com

edition.cnn.com

VG247.com