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Microsoft Kinect With World of Warcraft

Posted by Soulskill on from the get-some-exercise-while-you-raid dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers at the University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies have developed software that enables control of PC video games using the Microsoft Kinect sensor. Their toolkit, known as the Flexible Action and Articulated Skeleton Toolkit (FAAST), emulates custom-configured keyboard controls triggered by body posture and specific gestures. This video shows a user playing the online game World of Warcraft using the Kinect. Potential applications of this technology include video games for motor rehabilitation after stroke and reducing childhood obesity through healthy gaming."

7 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Horrible by QuantumG · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Anyway, has anyone actually done streaming skeletal recognition over the web yet? Seems that's the kinda thing that would be an interesting addition to Second Life or some of the other "open" virtual worlds.

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    How we know is more important than what we know.
  2. Raid by mseeger · · Score: 4, Funny

    I would love to see a Raid of 25 people using this. It should look like some kind of ballet.

    CU, Martin

    1. Re:Raid by mseeger · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I played WoW for several years with G5 keyboard (which is very macro-friendly) and never had any problems with Blizzard..... AFAIK no one was ever banned for using a specific input device unless he/she actually used it for botting.

  3. reducing childhood obesity through healthy gaming? by GuyFawkes · · Score: 2

    why not simply go outside and play a REAL LIFE fucking game instead of some shite computer game if your concerns include childhood obesity....

    in addition to burning more calories, using more muscle groups, and breathing fresh air, you will also learn to speak to and relate to other human beings, first hand, and learn essential social skills like co-operation and mutual goal seeking...

    ffs

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  4. Re:reducing childhood obesity through healthy gami by nschubach · · Score: 2

    As a side note... I found when I was heavily into MMOs, I actually lost weight. Crazy, I know... but I wasn't sitting on the couch with a bag of chips in one hand because that would get my keyboard and mouse all nasty. I actually ate better (less junk food) when I was playing because carrots weren't as greasy, I had bought more food from the grocery store so I had more time to play (didn't have to get in the car and run to Wendy's) and could grab a sandwich when I was hungry.

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  5. Re:reducing childhood obesity through healthy gami by liamoshan · · Score: 2

    why not simply go outside and play a REAL LIFE fucking game instead of some shite computer game if your concerns include childhood obesity....

    in addition to burning more calories, using more muscle groups, and breathing fresh air, you will also learn to speak to and relate to other human beings, first hand, and learn essential social skills like co-operation and mutual goal seeking...

    ffs

    Posts like this make me wish there was a "+1: Troll" option

  6. Re:reducing childhood obesity through healthy gami by afidel · · Score: 2

    You'd be surprised how many calories a good session with the kinect can burn. My wife's cousins are 16 and 14 and are both cheerleaders (highschool and competitive squads) and even they were sore the next day from playing. Of course the wow controller seemed to only focus on hand gestures so it's a lot less cardio than the xbox titles that exercise the entire body.

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