patent-ly clear
The technology behind Microsoft's highly anticipated Kinect motion controller Xbox 360 peripheral has been exposed in a patent application.
According to the patent filed by Microsoft, the peripheral formerly known as Project Natal, which allows gamers to play controller-free, uses PrimeSense software to let the webcam unit detect a player's physical movements.
It indentifies certain points on the body and compares them to patterns charted on a model of the body to work out movements.
The software renders an avatar based on a skeletal model of a player, put together by identifying which certain points or ‘targets' match the human body model. From this, it works out which controls to use according to the movement of certain body parts.
Impressively, fluid motions and complex movements can be interpreted due to the skeleton model which can pick out more than 25 points on the player's body.
Kinect is due to hit the shops before Christmas for a £129.99 and is designed to attract casual gamers to the Xbox 360, which is traditionally the preserve of more ‘serious' gamers.
