Bill Gates: Project Natal coming to PCs

Microsoft

Bill Gates: Project Natal coming to PCs

By Jose Vilches, TechSpot.com
Published: July 15, 2009, 12:11 PM EST

Microsoft certainly made a splash at this year’s E3 conference with the unveiling of Project Natal. The still in-development add-on, which detects full body movement and real world objects, seems like a natural fit for the Xbox 360 now that motion controlled gaming has become so popular – due in no small part to the Wii. In a recent interview with CNET, however, Bill Gates said the technology will also come to Windows.

He wasn’t specific in details but teased that the prospects are “very exciting.” Gates believes Natal’s depth-sensing camera won't be limited to gaming use, but for media consumption as a whole, and could even find a place in the business world for interacting in meetings, communicate and collaborate.

Can you imagine yourself gesticulating at your computer screen in the future? Project Natal should arrive in little over a year for the Xbox 360, according to Gates, so it’s unlikely to make its Windows debut until at least some months after that.

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TomSEA on July 15, 2009 12:29 PM	I don't know - maybe it's because I'm old(er). But the whole flapping my arms in front of a motion detector to make my computer do things I want it to do just ain't going to work for me. :p Reply \| Quote
gobbybobby on July 15, 2009 1:22 PM	I would love to ba able to navigate my PC using stuff like this! Keyboard and mouse killer. (well maybe not for PC gaming) Reply \| Quote
EXCellR8 on July 15, 2009 1:35 PM	Yea I'm gonna be keeping my mouse and keyboard as this is just dumb. Reply \| Quote
neoflux on July 15, 2009 1:54 PM	EXCellR8 said: Yea I'm gonna be keeping my mouse and keyboard as this is just dumb. I happen to know linux system administrator, who thinks using mouse is dumb, i personally think playing 1st person shooter with joypad is dumb and so on and so on .... future will tell if it is or it's not .... Reply \| Quote
gobbybobby on July 15, 2009 2:48 PM	1st person shooters should be played on PC, not on some aim assisted controller. But I will defo buy a game that uses this new technolodgy, (as long as the technolodgy don't cost too much.) Natal should work with both XBOX 360 and PC. (so I don't have to buy both) Reply \| Quote
hamsteyr on July 15, 2009 3:04 PM	Hmm... I don't think its so much of a matter of flapping arms or what not, but rather interaction with your pc on a higher level i suppose? O_o I'm thinking the next call of duty that maybe requires proactive interaction by the player, needing the player to take aim with a dummy weapon so on so forth and the game can detect that you're doing so.... maybe even breathing patterns that you're having will affect the game... Irritating as it may sound, the good part is skinny geeks will no longer be a thing of the past!~ say hello to fps shooters that actually look like they muscular counterparts XD or at least close to. Reply \| Quote
Vrmithrax on July 15, 2009 3:13 PM	Watching some of the footage of this (and products similar in scope) being used, I think it would make an interesting alternative to a touch screen, if nothing else. And, with no contact required, a much safer and less damaging alternative (no surface wear/smudging), at that. Imagine all those huge touch screen displays that are all the rage on news and sports shows these days, only without the massively expensive touch sensor array... Could be interesting. Reply \| Quote
Relic on July 15, 2009 6:21 PM	This is great news personally can't wait . While I can understand reluctance to using new technology, referring to new innovations that most likely will be the next step as dumb is a bit dumb. Reply \| Quote
tengeta on July 15, 2009 6:38 PM	Saying people will get fit waving their arms in front of a screen is just so pathetic that its... Nevermind, now I get how this world is getting so fat now. As for the subject, I think this may have use with media programs, so you don't have to have stuff on your couch or chair away from the PC while watching something, but outside that field I don't see much potential. There... IS a reason I never bought a Wii. Reply \| Quote
EXCellR8 on July 15, 2009 9:48 PM	This is just another one of those things that everyone gets too hyped-up about; when it's released millions will buy it and then realize what a bad investment it was. Reply \| Quote
old101 on July 15, 2009 10:47 PM	Seems to me the best use of this technology would be in the intrusion detection systems for for the home. Inexpensive if you already have a computer, and probably more reliable than the current motion detectors, breaking glass (sound) detector, and so on. Reply \| Quote
Vrmithrax on July 16, 2009 9:07 AM	old101 said: Seems to me the best use of this technology would be in the intrusion detection systems for for the home. Inexpensive if you already have a computer, and probably more reliable than the current motion detectors, breaking glass (sound) detector, and so on. Sweet idea! Not only is that huge HD monitor in your living room good for watching movies, it can be a guard dog as well! Reply \| Quote
Guest on July 17, 2009 6:15 PM	"Can you imagine yourself gesticulating," makes me think that I can reach pr0ntube by making a wanking motion. Reply \| Quote
siiix on July 18, 2009 2:17 AM	i want to finally talk to the darn thing with out complicated setup process and so it actually smoothly can understand me, not make hand signs, i like to move as little as possible and get the most possible done Reply \| Quote
supersmashbrada on July 18, 2009 3:51 AM	This is one of those "the world is flat" things. You say you wont use it, or it seems impractical but this could be the start of a new technology making our worlds easy. Reply \| Quote
OUTLAWXXX on July 20, 2009 1:31 PM	Guest said: "Can you imagine yourself gesticulating," makes me think that I can reach pr0ntube by making a wanking motion. LOL Reply \| Quote
davisjaron on July 28, 2009 2:17 AM	TomSEA said: I don't know - maybe it's because I'm old(er). But the whole flapping my arms in front of a motion detector to make my computer do things I want it to do just ain't going to work for me. :p it's not about flapping your arms around, it's about the true interactivity with it. They have created the Milo character that shows how you can interact with it just like you would a real person. Imagine yourself being able to sit down one night when you're sitting at home bored, and playing a game of poker against and talking to characters in a video game that you can get to know, and that can get to know you... or being able to go online and shop for clothes and try see what stuff would look like on you without actually having to go to the store to try it on... Imagine just being able to walk in the room and the machine instantly recognizes you, logs you into your account, and asks you what you want to do without you having to do anything at all... a machine that could recognize your face, your voice, your movements, and REACT to it. This is true artificial intelligence... the idea of applying that to a game... or to the business world... it's just an amazing thought. Reply \| Quote