June 1, 2009 12:46 PM PDT
Video: Microsoft's Project Natal in action
The big news from Microsoft' E3 press conference was clearly its "Project Natal" motion sensing technology.
We're pretty sure that it is based on technology from 3DV systems, an Israeli start-up that we wrote about some time ago. I'm hearing that Microsoft has in fact, acquired the company, as has been reported. I have yet to get that 100 percent confirmed, however.
In any case, here's a video from Microsoft showing the technology in action.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
BTW, what's the gesture for inducing RROD?
Bring on the XNA Game Studio Devs to make x-rated games with it!
P.S. Haters would just like to say we've had this technology for a while... right, I'm pretty sure my eyes could see motion years ago too...
"This is one giant leap toward the holodeck."
Its a nice addition, but to state that its a giant leap towards a holodeck is way way out there. Calm down. I hope you don't have posters of Ballmer and Gates in your bedroom. ;-)
Currently a mocap system cost over $30k and is anything but precise, a common mocap system is composed by a expensive software and over 6 cameras, plus a "tron like" suit. Can microsoft convince the people that with a (sub $1k) system they can achieve a decent precision (without lag) ?
While I am sure it hits retail for the 360, you can really see this is a testbed for the 720 that is coming around 2012. Take cover Sony and Nintendo, the next, next gen battle has just begun.
By the way, it is clearly using stereo (two) video cameras and the 360 has plenty of power with its 3 cores to keep up with two cameras.
This also makes me belive this is quite different technology from 3DV that everyone keeps referring too. While they very well may have purchased 3DV, this was in the works well before. My guess is everyone in the media has it wrong. It is not based on 3DVs system, but based on a Microsoft system and suplemented with 3DV tech (and people). Can anyone say Microsoft Surface (stereo cameras in that babay).
- by PattiJordan June 8, 2009 12:12 PM PDT
- GestureTek is the inventor, pioneer and world leader in video gesture control technology for both 2D and 3D cameras. Our software works with 3DV, Mesa, Prime Sense, Canesta and other 3D depth cameras. For more than 20 years, we have been creating 3D tracking technology and evangelizing video gesture control as the next step in computer human interaction.
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(12 Comments)With more than 4000 public installations worldwide, we have a robust library of video gesture control technologies, applications and patents. GestureTek has licensed these patents and technologies in various ways to a multitude of consumer electronics providers, including for PlayStation, Xbox 360, Hasbro and others. GestureTek is proud of the trail we?ve blazed in the area of 3D depth tracking and control and our current leading position in the market today.
Here?s more on GestureTek?s 3D tracking and control software: http://www.gesturetek.com/3ddepth/introduction.php .
Here are some other examples of work that GestureTek was showing before more than a year ago, before Natal:
- 2009: Beijing Olympics Flight Simulator http://www.gesturetek.com/3ddepth/businesscases/3dexplorer.php
- Two-Handed Control Driving Demo http://www.gesturetek.com/newscenter/media.php?media=58
- Rock em Sock em Robots http://www.gesturetek.com/3ddepth/introduction.php
- We also provided the 3D tracking technology for Sprint's new interactive digital signage campaign.