Kinect for Windows, Gesture-recognizing UI Around the Corner

[btarunr]

After Microsoft's evolved game controller the Kinect for Xbox 360 came to the fore, speculation among tech circles saw a future for the device in the PC platform right away, beyond being just a game controller. It looks like Redmond is taking steps in that direction, with the groundwork for Kinect's arrival on the Windows PC platform underway. Microsoft will release the Kinect for Windows software development kit (SDK) this spring, so developers can start work on it right away. This could include giving Games for Windows applications Kinect support which they enjoy on the Xbox 360 platform.

The possibilities are endless for non-game applications to make use of Kinect as a gesture-recognizing, and face-recognizing device. Gesture recognition UI and face-recognition are pitched to be some of the defining features of Microsoft's next version of Windows. Kinect for Windows SDK will be released on a non-commercial basis. "The hope is that the SDK will unleash a wave of creativity to add to the already exciting developments we’ve seen on top of Kinect. The SDK will provide access to Kinect’s sensor as well audio and system API’s," the company commented.



Source: Next at Microsoft (Technet Blog)

[btarunr]

Many Thanks to BlackPanther for the tip.

[Mussels]

sounds good, i expected this.


will make a great alternative to a mouse/keyboard/remote for HTPC's

[LAN_deRf_HA]

I think if it wasn't from all the community pressure, including reports sony might add kinect support for their products on the pc before MS, made them get their act together with official pc support. Microsoft is notorious for not supporting porting anything from the 360 to pc. They act like children throwing a temper tantrum over this. Halo 2 pc sold awful, as with many other games they forced xbox live integration onto. They could have simply made a mode that disengaged live achievements for mod maps, but they chose to instead cripple the modding support that gave halo 1 it's continued pc success. Because of these failures, and an utter hard hardheadedness to accept that xbox live was to blame, they decide to just drop pc support entirely. They squash halo mods that involve features from the newer xbox games, cancel the game ports. They sabotage their pc business left and right out of some moronic fear it will hurt their console business. They want gaming to exist solely on the 360 despite the numerous bs claims otherwise they've made during PR time for new windows releases.

[AsRock]

Originally Posted by Mussels

sounds good, i expected this.


will make a great alternative to a mouse/keyboard/remote for HTPC's

I was thinking more hand gestures in game like fps games. Be sweet in war based games and even more so if some game devs get of there lazy asses and make a good multiplayer\coop game.

Be cool in arma 2. But this is just for MSL so fuck'em if they want to limit it that much.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by AsRock

I was thinking more hand gestures in game like fps games. Be sweet in war based games and even more so if some game devs get of there lazy asses and make a good multiplayer\coop game.

Be cool in arma 2. But this is just for MSL so fuck'em if they want to limit it that much.

it'll be like the mouse vs gamepad debate, mouse will always win out for speed and precision, unless the games are kinect only.


for non gaming use, they'll be a good step forward.

[theJesus]

I want to map a gesture with my middle-finger to Alt+F4

[Easy Rhino]

we need to map a rage gesture. when a player's eyes go all red and watery then the game auto-kicks them.

[theJesus]

Forget my previous idea. I want to become a mod and map a gesture with my middle-finger to the ban-hammer.

I'm still waiting for the second release of an improved kinect. This version have some serious limitations like very low resolution, and extremely low frame rate. I think this is because the limitations of USB 2.0 port, but this cam be done using USB 3.0 without any problems...I think.
So we needs for PC HD cameras and at least an 60Hz output to match all the monitors/tv out there. Then I would be really interested.

[NdMk2o1o]

This is what multi touch should have been only 10 x better as it should be easier to manipulate and work with only you wont need to shell out for a multitouch monitor

[Frick]

Now this would actually be interesting to try out.

[NdMk2o1o]

Think of Paycheck the film, where he was reverse engineering on a 3d holographic screen just manipulating the image in mid air........ obviously not there yet but a step in the right direction if done right!!

[AsRock]

Originally Posted by Mussels

it'll be like the mouse vs gamepad debate, mouse will always win out for speed and precision, unless the games are kinect only.


for non gaming use, they'll be a good step forward.

I am on about using the mouse keyboard TIR and this lol.. Not one or the other lol. But like i said

Be cool in arma 2. But this is just for MSL so fuck'em if they want to limit it that much.

Had enough from companys wanting to run there shit on windows startup all these years now we have to startup crap with our games lol.

[wolf]

I can see this maving a million and one applications just at the desktop level alone, let alone inside specific applications or games...

very very excited to see where this goes!

[theJesus]

Idea: 3D modeling

How cool would it be to quickly mold rough copies of your ideas and then fine-tune with the mouse/keyboard or other specialized input device?

[bbmarley]

this still reminds me of the pc software CamTrax what i tested a few years ago

[erixx]

Interesting, but not for me. One hand on mouse, the other on a beer, what gestures could I make?

[Bjorn_Of_Iceland]

great.. I only hope it can be used on a dark room and doesnt need 12 feet of space.. otherwise its a fail.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by erixx

Interesting, but not for me. One hand on mouse, the other on a beer, what gestures could I make?

it could tell when your taking your last few swigs because of the angle of the can, and order you more from the internet, to be express delivered by the time you finish.

assuming it knows your on beer 4 of the six pack and you'll down another two before the delivery gets in.

[tilldeath]

What I wonder is why this isn't in the works or out yet.....
Now to preface this I haven't fully thought out every detail of this idea and it would likely be more of a novelty at first than anything else but I think there's potential for it to progress into something else.

Using the Kinect and say a special version of Google Maps one could create a virtual world in which the user could create an avatar. Then using google or some other map program the Avatar would be uploaded to the virtual world and controlled through the Kinect. One could type in a retail store such as Best Buy and with the avatar walkthrough a virtual store adding items to a cart. What would make it unique would be the fact that retail stores could upload a 3d image of each product in the inventory allowing the user to grab the product and manipulate it to get a better idea of what the product would actually be like before purchasing it. Then when the user is ready to checkout the Avatar could either have a stored payment method or the user could hold up a credit card and kinect would read it. Then the user could use a finger to digitally sign it.

JMO but I think it would be sweet.

[Completely Bonkers]

Webcam 3D kinect, arriving Q4 2012, when this feature will be built in to laptops etc. Nice.

[assaulter_99]

I'd hate to play some game and punch my screen by mistake. That would be....costly.

[devguy]

Originally Posted by Bjorn_Of_Iceland

great.. I only hope it can be used on a dark room and doesnt need 12 feet of space.. otherwise its a fail.

That's kind of my question too. I need to be at least 6 feet away from the camera to be properly recognized on my Xbox (8 feet for two people). How many people have that kind of distance between themselves and their computer screen?

Also, while I like my Kinect, I am not inclined to move the thing around when I want to use it on my computer (especially as the PC doesn't have the Kinect port, we'll have to use another wall-wart), and I sure as hell ain't buying another one...

[Mussels]

it wont be that useful on a gaming system, its meant for facial recognition/voice recognition, not full skeleton control on PC.

dont forget that it should work with just a hand, not your whole skeleton in view on PC.