Justin Kahn
Posts: 752 +6
While many hardcore gamers wait on a practical use for Microsoft's Kinect sensor beyond the odd gesture and navigation based voice command, the South Korean government has found a way to put the gaming sensors to use. Along with the personnel guarding the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the military is using Kinect sensors to monitor movement at the border between the North and South, according to reports.
Much like you are probably imagining, the sensors have been modded to be able to track movement at the border and then relay that data to nearby outposts. Software developed by South Korean programmer Jae Kwan Ko allows Kinect to determine the difference between animals and humans trying to cross the DMZ. According to reports it was put in place in August of last year, but it was just recently that we found out Kinect sensors were being used at the most heavily armed border on the planet.
While Ko has said that he's "never even thought of a game system performing national defense tasks," now that it is in place, he said there are future plans to upgrade the system further. Ko says that in time, the system will be able to detect heat patterns and heart rates as well.
Beyond that, likely due to national security issues, details from the Korean military have been thin.
(Image via Shutterstock)
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