Microsoft Natal System

 Microsoft Previews New Controller

Microsoft has Finally allowed the awaiting Public to get there hands on Microsofts latest Technology Upgrade the hands free controller for the first time! - It was first unveiled in June this year, but had not been on public display until now. 
The company showed off the technology named 'Natal', which is designed for use with the Xbox 360 console, at the European games convention gamescom in Germany.
The controller is said to use a microphone combined with visual and infrared cameras to control the onscreen action.

Xbox 360's general manager and creative director of Natal, said that as consoles evolved from being a dedicated games machine into "living room entertainment", it was important to develop a new control interface. However catching up with the Wii's dominance will be a massive challenge. 
Then he went on to say that Natal would allow casual users to use the console while at the same time delivering extra excitement to regular users. 

Two demos were on show at gamescom for people to try out, including a playable version of Burnout Paradise in which users control cars using an imaginary steering wheel, moving their feet forwards or backwards to control the speed, it would seem that they have deliberatly targetted the things that the Wii cannot perform. It was also stressed that because everything was done in infrared, it negated any problems they could have encountered with normal light.

With this Launch Nitendo have released a statement stating that they are "Unmoved by there rivals plans". 

How It Works:

The Natal system is an infrared sensor that detects a person, their movements and their distance from the sensor. 
The device then calibrates itself to the room's temperature and then looks for warm bodies around the room.
Once detected, it scans the person's shape and tries to match it against profiles it stores in its memory. If the person is new, it asks them to create a new profile. It would also monitor and adapt as people change shape i.e. loosing weight or gaining a few extra pounds. 
If it finds a match, it loads the person's profile and begins to work out their position. If a person moves towards the sensor they become hotter; as they step back they get colder. 
Natal then plots 48 different points on a person's body, such as hands, feet and elbows, to create a wire-frame virtual manikin that mimics a person's movements. 
The General Manager for xbox then explained that "this means that even if someone - or something - were to move in front of a player, the sensor would not get confused, providing some of the player was still visible."
The system will also allow players to automatically log on to the Xbox Live network, which allows players to compete with other gamers across the internet much like the Xbox Live network now.

Comments

[Ryan]

That is awesome!!!

great post.

[Mike Khuraibet]

Seems to be the next generation of virtual reality gaming, eh? Great post!

-Mike