UI&us is about User Interface Design, User Experience design and the cognitive psychology behind design in general. It's written by Keith Lang, co-founder of Skitch; now a part of Evernote.  His views and opinions are his own and do not represent in any way the views or opinions of any company. 

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Tuesday
Jun022009

Microsoft Announces 'Natal' 3D System

Microsoft has announced at this years E3 Games conference a new peripheral/system coming next year for the XBox called 'Natal'. They've got some slick prototypes/ studio mockups which show people interacting with games and other applications in a very convincing manner. The technology is based on 3D camera technology which I've previously discussed, and it's good to see it coming to the fore. Microsoft certainly thinks it's a big deal, pulling out Spielberg and Peter Molyneux to talk up the future.

The promotional material implies that they've got some extra processing turning 3D camera bitmap images into models of the human body to be passed to the game itself. Perhaps this processing is the source of the lag between the person and the on-screen action in the video on this page, which I'm guessing is a real prototype. And too much lag and you end up with a cognitively tiring game. The system also boasts speech recognition — I'm skeptical on how effective that will be you're yelling at the screen. Overall, this new 3D system promises awesome new interaction possibilities, but given the huge hype, expect some post-natal depression if it doesn't meet expectations.
UPDATE: Natal now has a website.


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Reader Comments (5)

When I first found that I thought it was really awesome. But I'd never use it for games, I'd use it to build interactive living areas (such as houses).

June 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterW

What kind of house system would you want to build?

@Nick — yeah, it's due to new 3D cameras. Very cool, eh.

June 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterKeith Lang

@Keith
I believe in having as less buttons as useful. This technology makes it possible to have a home that talks to you and recognizes you. Senses your mood and so forth.
For e.g: You come home from work and while taking your shoes off tell your home to prepare a bath. Taking your bath you watch trailers and tell your home to download the ... movie to your let's say apple TV. At the same time as you're going to bed you tell your home when you want it to wake you. And until you fell asleep it plays the right music for you.

Your home could even call for emergency if it detects an accident etc.

June 4, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterW

@W, ah yes. I want a place which lights only the rooms I'm in :-)

June 4, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterKeith Lang

@Keith - that would be only one of many possibilities. Why shouldn't your house recognize you and be intelligent enough to realize if somebody else is with you. Just an example. It cou perhaps ask your guests house what he or she prefers to drink and at what room temperature he/she is the most comfortable.

We should start a wave about this. We'll have to wait 'till Google opens it to the public.

June 6, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterW
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