Microsoft Natal (Working Title)
© 2009 Microsoft Corporation
Note: See Kinect for Xbox 360. Microsoft’s innovative motion detection system, due sometime next year, is housed in a sensor bar that plugs into your Xbox 360. Microsoft calls it "controller free" gaming. So why is Natal (a working title) different than all the other motion tracking systems? Remember the Intel Play Me2Cam (1999), Sony's EyeToy and Hasbro's Ion? What about the PS3’s PlayStation Eye (2007) that came with motion games like Eye of Judgment. All came with big claims but limited success. During a demo at E3 2009, I [WB] was able to try driving a car with Natal. After a clumsy first five seconds, it was clear that this was indeed a powerful movement sensing system at work. Using a steering wheel that existed only in my mind, I was able to weave through the heavy Manhattan traffic depicted in EA’s Burnout Paradise, speeding up or slowing down by moving my right foot. (I’ve posted a video of my first drive at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81Z1bwpvVqk). As you can see, there is definitely some potential. How does it work? Here’s what I could safely deduce from the press materials. None of the 3rd party developers had even seen the technology, so we probably won’t see Natal on the shelves until next year. The cost was not mentioned. “Skeletal mapping” is the real magic behind Natal. When you first enter camera view, a lot of computing takes place. According to Microsoft, your body is scanned by a infrared projector that works with a monochrome CMOS sensor that can work in any lighting conditions. This creates a 3D image of your body, which is assigned to one of 20 or so body profiles. So if you’re an older, heavier female, or a small child, the software approximates your size and knows what to expect. From this point forward, the software can know where your foot is, even if it is blocked by a passing dog, with minimal computing. That’s why I could dodge the oncoming delivery truck on 11th Avenue with a flip of my invisible steering wheel. Natal will get confused if another person, or skeleton, walks within view of the camera. I also noticed a piece of tape about eight feet in front of the prototype I tried, seeming to indicate that there’s an ideal distance from the camera. Facial recognition is provided by a camera that works in concert with the motion sensor. So you will be able to assign players automatically, say, for a trivia game. This same camera will let you photograph your face for a Facebook profile, participate in remote chats, or overlay an image of your living room onto the billboard in one of your favorite video games. Voice recognition will let you change paint colors in a drawing program, by saying “blue,” or turn off a NetFlix movie by saying “goodnight.” You’ll be able to roar back at the monsters in RPGs, or record a voicemail for your Gamertag profile. Clearly, the face and voice recognition, if implemented well, could have rich potential when combined with social experiences like Twitter, Facebook, and Microsoft Live. Microsoft has big plans for Natal. The camera will work exclusively with any Xbox 360 and will be integrated into the 360 operating system. If it works, it could also be integrated with Windows. After my short drive, I’m less skeptical. At the very least, Project Natal is worth keeping an eye on, if for no other reason than it seems to be able to keep an eye on you.
Xbox 360, Xbox Kinect
Teaches: a motion-based interface