PDA

View Full Version : Microsoft patent application shows custom Kinect gestures, roaming user profiles



wraggster
April 24th, 2011, 00:34
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/04/microsoft-kinect-windows-1295400536.jpg (http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/22/microsoft-patent-application-shows-custom-kinect-gestures-roami/)

Since Kinect entered the world, modders have been hacking it for everything from playing Tetris (http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/21/augmented-reality-tetris-game-uses-kinect-hack-wiimote-smooth/) tocontrolling a web browser (http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/25/kinect-hack-lets-you-control-a-web-browser-using-only-the-force/). And really, Microsoft never seemed to mind (http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/20/microsoft-im-a-pc-and-kinect-open-source-drivers-were-my-idea/). In case it wasn't obvious how much the company wants you to help find new uses for the technology, the folks in Redmond have filed a patent application for custom profiles. We can see that having implications for gaming and evenWindows shortcuts (http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/21/microsoft-to-release-kinect-for-windows-sdk-this-spring/), but for now Microsoft expects it to improve Kinect's accuracy by learning how you move -- after all, no one jumps or points or apes Lady Gaga's dance moves in exactly the same fashion, right? In other cases, the system might note that you prefer to make an "X" sign instead of a checkmark when selecting an object onscreen. And those personalized settings can roam over a network, shadowing you as you switch devices. Personally, we're stoked about the idea of making our best Julian Assange dance a bona fide gesture, but we'll be happy enough if Kinect can make up for our natural ungainliness.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/22/microsoft-patent-application-shows-custom-kinect-gestures-roami/