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Microsoft Kinect controlling Windows 7, exciting proof of concept
The video, for the most part, isn't particularly impressive, but as always it's a proof of very exciting concepts. Instead of two people playing with banal holiday snaps, imagine some kind of interface that can be manipulated by multiple people at the same time -- a war game, perhaps. If you had Kinect on top of your computer monitor, you could lean back in your chair and surf sites with tiny hand gestures, rather than controlling a mouse or keyboard -- sign me up!
The most exciting thing, though, is that -- hopefully -- the software won't be too expensive. With an open-source driver in the wild, Evoluce can't charge too much. It's obviously in Microsoft's benefit to sell Kinect directly to Windows 7 (and 8!) users, too, so the software might even be bundled!
Comments
5
Subscribe to commentsfrankNov 22nd 2010 4:27PM
While it is an impressive concept, I couldn't imagine using that day to day, especially for digital work. A Wacom tablet is the only real tool I will ever use for that.
It does have it's applications though, possibly for people with disabilities who can't use conventional means to control an interface.
Gesture based computing just seems like a flashy unpractical way to complicate otherwise simple tasks.
Sebastian AnthonyNov 22nd 2010 4:54PM
Yeah, it's the sheer size of gesture required that puts me off. I can make mouse gestures with a tiny flick... but hand gestures need to be bigger and require more time and energy to actuate.
SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt)Nov 27th 2010 2:09AM
@(Unverified)
i agree. gesture controls like this look cool but they are really impractical. why would i want to complicate something that has for the most part been perfected with the mouse? the only way i would want to use something like this would be to control my HTPC's 10 foot interface. it would be nice to not have to look for the remote.
KrazyCalvinNov 23rd 2010 12:32PM
Somewhere Tom Cruise is smiling insanely.
JamesDec 20th 2010 11:59AM
MINORITY REPORT!!!
This is amazing... I would love to be switching back and forth between channels or controlling video playback with hand gestures. No more looking for the remote to pause the movie when I get up to get a snack, just a simple hand gesture.
Imagine doing business presentations using hand movements instead of that stupid handheld clicker device.
Shuffling through pictures of the day with hand motions from a distance, instead of having everyone crowd around the computer with the users head being in the way.
Then, to make it super cool, instead of using that monitor, connect the output to a projector. In fact shine the projector on some glass or something that can hold an image and you have Minority Report....