Project Natal

[arixrobotics]

Microsoft has announced Xbox 360's Project Natal!

This is really cool! They uses a camera that can detect 3D-movement, and transfer all your body movement into the game. This way you don't need a controller, you are the controller.

There is a thread about the camera that they are using with some more of Project Natal videos here:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=7938.0

And the announcement at E3 here:
[youtube]GH_gDreIdcM[/youtube]

I still can't believe this is happening! 

[dannytemmerman]

This is amazing technology.
They could use this in many applications.

[jakx12]

this is amazing technology! Its brilliant what they are doing now for the gaming industry

[galannthegreat]

I personally find that the gaming industry is "trying" to move away from the "real" gamers by making it a thing that anyone can get into... and being a gamer myself I find it brings in the real retards of the gaming world and it just makes games really un-fun to play anymore. It looks cool, but personally I wouldn't tend towards it for gaming, but maybe there would be some cool robotics applications for this?

[jakx12]

defiantly, robotics can utilize this. Gaming companies are just trying to broaden their market, thus more profits  . I think they are not going for gamers, you are correct, but thinking in ways which provide gaming retards the opportunity to experience new things, which as i said increase profits. However the complexity behind these algorithms is incredible! Not including the negative affect that it could cause to gamers like you, i believe it to be a large step forward. Anyway, im sure companies have produced technology like this before, but whats amazing is that they have utilized it for mass production and a great user experience for people who are technologically illiterate

[galannthegreat]

Just as long as it is not set to a new standard for all systems I think I'll be good. But visioning the implementations into robotics with this would be amazing.

[jakx12]

i know! It could help with ai, perhaps a robot could copy human movement, and log what servo moved when etc, thus learning how to say walk for example or move an arm. It could also help with human robot and animal robot interaction. Im sure it could be implanted but buying the information on how to do it would be so expensive and difficult it would be near impossible. So one would have to develop it from scratch . However, i doubt it will be a universal controller for all systems because, for example, sony are not going to copy it, due to copyright terms and people wont buy it form them if xbox already have it

[galannthegreat]

Don't forget Microsoft's typical encrytion levels on pretty much all products that they have. But, I'm guessing that there is a product like this out there that is capable of this too, but probably very expensive.

[SmAsH]

i wish microsoft would just release this as open source... then it would truly be cool!

[jakx12]

microsoft ≠ opensource. Lol it doesnt 'compute' 

[SmAsH]

because they are money hungry fags?

[galannthegreat]

Bluntly put, yes.

[AdvsNoob]

they our using a 3-D depth camera to capture not just the movements of a handheld controller but the movement of your whole body..

They our going to try to add scanning to the system like the demo with the skate board..

I have ideas for this project as well, i am working on prototypes... Not with microsoft but by myself and maybe ill send them a email of something to show them how it is going..

I love the idea!

I am a big xbox fan! Add me guys "gameguysz"

Oh and i keep thinking of using natal when playing CoD4 or GoW2 ^_^

[galannthegreat]

CoD4 would honestly be sweet, but diving down all the time would be hard on your knees. Also consider the fact that a lot of gamers are not really gonna be open to having to move all the time, but then I think about it, it's not Sony (changing systems to not have backwards compatability and forcing you to get the product to continue playing the system), it's Microsoft, and they have always gave the "option" of using their products.

AdvsNoob, keep us posted on that project, it sounds awesome!

[SmAsH]

i agree that most people who play CoD4 would not be happy diving down every time they wanted to go prone...
its just to much work to play a game...

[jakx12]

Well game developers who want to harness this system will obviously bare that in mind.

[Tsukubadaisei]

$200(more expensive than the xbox arcade itself)
laggy
no good games
the ps3 natal+wiimote hybryd (a.k.a. eyetoy 2) looks better (but still sucks)

Sorry I had to write that, I hate nintendo and casual gaming. They are destroying gaming. When I saw this year e3 I couldnt believe how much sony and microsoft tried to copy nintendo's strategy. At least sony showed some good games but microsoft died to me this week(just like nintendo did 3 years ago).

BTW, this is useless for robotics. For example, if you need a manipulator to mimic your arm's movements, you need some kind of force feedback, otherwise you will lose a lot of precision. The only interface that will beat buttons and joysticks are BCIs.

[AdvsNoob]

CoD4 would honestly be sweet, but diving down all the time would be hard on your knees. Also consider the fact that a lot of gamers are not really gonna be open to having to move all the time, but then I think about it, it's not Sony (changing systems to not have backwards compatability and forcing you to get the product to continue playing the system), it's Microsoft, and they have always gave the "option" of using their products.

AdvsNoob, keep us posted on that project, it sounds awesome!

Ya, but they should still add the controller settings for the games ^_^

And thanks for the comment now which project you talking about the twitter one or syth? because me and my buddy our trying to meet up for the syth one but we just dont have the time so we our waiting untill its summor for us which is on Thursday... YAY!