Comments on: How Hackers Made Kinect a Game Changer

By: Julieann Wozniak

Julieann Wozniak — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:03:47 +0000

It’ll be a wondrous thing when the technology makes the evolution from being a cool toy into, say, a means by which quadriplegic can better manipulate his or her environment in a less kludgy fashion than the technology currently in use.

This is an exciting time to be alive, and I hope to be still working in IT when I’m 90!

By: vincent john vincent

vincent john vincent — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 23:29:38 +0000

This is a good article about what is happenning with the Kinect, but it misses that this technology has been around for a long time: what the Kinect has done is made it affordable. Francis Macdougall & I invented video gesture control technology from 1986 onward, & we invented the 3D gesture control that is the basis of what is in the Kinect back in 2000. With our company GestureTek we have invented, pioneered, patented, evangelized & licensed this form of technology to the tech world in a myrid of ways over the years including to Sony for the EyeToy & Microsoft for XBOX gesture control, and installed over 4000 systems in public installations including ones in The Smithstonian.

By: Wilson

Wilson — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:31:04 +0000

This is a wonderful example of why so many of my friends are stupid and broke. I love how the common folk ‘winners’ will be able to control a TV, a thermostat, room lights, et.al. I shake my head ruefully in agreement.

By: Sid

Sid — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:44:39 +0000

Interesting article…Are we going to see movies like Matrix and Terminator come live on this earth say a few decades later? Man Vs machine…

By: Randy Rieland

Randy Rieland — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:49:24 +0000

Thanks, Vineeth. Maybe I’m am being a bit too negative about TV remotes. My complaint is less with the interface and more with the functionality. I’ve had plenty of frustration with remotes with balky buttons. Can’t wait to be able to just wave at the TV. Thanks again for your comment.

By: Vineeth Kuruvath

Vineeth Kuruvath — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:13:26 +0000

“No one wants to use a keyboard to control what’s on their TV. A remote’s bad enough. And touching the screen isn’t very practical.” I feel a remote’s a great, elegant interface and Kinect would augment it rather and replace.
Nice article overall. Kinect has great potential overall – probably would change lifestyles like PC did.

By: Randy Rieland

Randy Rieland — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:10:29 +0000

Thanks, Robert, appreciate the feedback. As Mel Brooks would say, “Who knew?”

By: Robert Ryder

Robert Ryder — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 04:00:37 +0000

Fabulous article, Randy. I had no idea Kinect was that powerful. Even though I am not a fan of Microsoft, I am happy they are opening it up to developers. It can only get better.

Keep these columns coming.

Robert Ryder
Las Vegas