Amazing Xbox 360 Controller Expo   by jeffrey ignativs

Yesterday, Microsoft showed off its super-secret Project Natal motion Xbox 360 Controller at the Expo. In IT Blogwatch, Richi Jennings watches bloggers watch Peter Molyneux introduce a whole-body, controller-free way to Play Xbox 360 Games. And, yes: there is an IT angle.
Austin Modine spies an invisible xbox 360 controller:
Microsoft has revealed a motion-sensing gadget for the Xbox 360 that uses the player’s full body to control video games. Dubbed “Project Natal,” the new accessory is a horizontal bar placed near the console that allows players to control their games and Xbox media without touching hardware. Rather than rely on a wand to detect motion like the ubiquitous Nintendo Wii, the device uses a 3-D depth camera and microphones to recognize players’ voices and movements for controlling what’s on screen…. Natal can recognize a player’s face and automatically log them into their Xbox profile. In addition, the console’s menus can be navigated by hand gestures like Minority Report.
Matt Peckham thinks Natal isn’t just about gaming:
Microsoft utterly wowed with “Project Natal.” I mean really wowed. Yeah, it’s kind of a dumb name, but it may turn out to be the most impressive show item any company’s crowed about in years.
Now think beyond games for a moment, which is where trotting out a filmmaker of Steven Spielberg’s stature factors more than superficially…. It’s part of more than just Microsoft’s gaming lineup. Think about walking into a room to play a game that already knows precisely where your hands and feet are. A system that already knows whether you’re grumpy or melancholy, smiling or frowning, how many fingers you’re holding up, or how curled or extended each one is.
Ben Kuchera sees the Xbox 360 morphing into a social hub:
Microsoft brought Steven Spielberg onto the stage to demo the technology, and his avatar moved in real time as he controled the UI. While many called this technology a gimmick before E3, everyone seems completely impressed by what’s being shown here today. This isn’t waving your hands around like the Wii, this is a very immersive technology tied to a very powerful console.
The sense of play is very Nintendo, and that’s a high compliment…. Microsoft has set the bar amazingly high for everyone else. Natal looks incredible, although it will take some real-world experience before we can completely believe the claims made…. How much of this will feel this real-and this good-once we get our hands on it?
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Source by http://blog.topons.com/index.php/2010/08/amazing-xbox-360-controller-expo/

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