Asus, PrimeSense intro Kinect-like controller for PC

Matthew DeCarlo

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Asus and PrimeSense, the Israeli firm behind the 3D sensing solution in Microsoft's Kinect, have partnered up to develop a motion controller for PC. The Asus-branded "Xtion" looks remarkably similar to the Xbox 360 add-on, and although it utilizes the same 3D sensing tech, it won't necessarily replace your keyboard and mouse for gaming. Instead, the Xtion is mostly intended for browsing the web, accessing social networks, and navigating multimedia content when your PC is hooked up to the TV.

The Xtion camera will be sold along with a pair of "Wavi" boxes (jointly branded the "Wavi Xtion") that stream data wirelessly between your TV and PC. As Engadget explains, the Xtion will sit on your TV and connect to one Wavi device, while the other Wavi is attached to your PC up to 25 meters away.


Along with the hardware, Asus plans to launch a development package in February called Xtion Pro that will allow software developers to create their own gesture-based software. There's also talk of an app store. That's not a bad idea considering the growing community of Kinect hackers.

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It's the chicken and the egg problem for MS. Their Kinect is based on PrimeSense's scanning technology, not the other way around. It looks just like the Kinect because they used PrimeSense's design, just adding their own control system into a slightly different package. No basis for a lawsuit, as they do not own the scanner design.
 
Exactly my thoughts Tekkaraiden; how on earth they come up with such names? I'd sure love to meet that guy who came up with it ........ then shoot him (*censored* too graphic to be allowed on family sites) with a double barrel gun. Anyway wouldn't you look like a fool if someone see you browsing with this thing?
 
edison5do said:
princeton said:
Don't worry. MS will find some way to sue them for it.

If they plan to partner with apple or sony, of course they will.

They already tried to do business with Apple. The guy who invented the kinect technology, offered to sell it to Apple. He met with Steve Jobs, So Jobs right away started going control freak on hm. I heard he was being a real big jerk. So this guy says I'm outa here, then he goes and meets with Microsoft, They apparently didn't pi$$ him off. With Apple's creativity they probably would have figured out some really cool things for the tech. But I'm glad MS bought it instead. So as far as Apple making a deal with that guy, that ship has sailed. Thank god, now people who are not Apple users can enjoy that cool technology too.
I'm sure they are not violating anything that Microsoft has exclusive rights to. surely they wouldn't be that stupid.
 
Tekkaraiden said:
I thought Microsoft picked an odd name, I'm not even sure how to pronounce Xtion.
I just recently learned how to pronounce ASUS! <Eh-Suess> I personally always heard <A-suh-ss> and like the sound of that better.
 
This is good and bad. If there are no standard devices, then you will have to worry about platforms withing platforms as a developer of software. Otherwise if you are looking to do some of your own custimizations... that is cool. Another note I guess is to sell the software you make with the ... err "Xtion"

But it would be best if a standard is made in the next 5 years... Well the cat is out of the bag.

MS may be able to have a law suite if the patent the lay out, but if the sensor tech and basic software belongs to the Sensor company then MS might not be able to do much beyond asking damages for copying the look which they could argue will cause marketing confusion, and they have invested lots of money in marketing not to be foiled...
 
MrAnderson said:
MS may be able to have a law suite if the patent the lay out, but if the sensor tech and basic software belongs to the Sensor company then MS might not be able to do much beyond asking damages for copying the look which they could argue will cause marketing confusion, and they have invested lots of money in marketing not to be foiled...

I think the primary issue here is this: Microsoft used PrimeSense's package, which was being peddled to other companies before Microsoft bit. Basically, unless there was a rigid exclusivity agreement between Microsoft and PrimeSense, there is no way Microsoft can sue PrimeSense for making a product that looks like it always has.

Bottom line is, MS molded the Kinect around a sensor array system that already existed, they didn't make it from scratch, so they have no proprietary rights to the "look" of a product based on someone else's design. Unless they own that design (or designing company) outright, that is. Surprised Microsoft hasn't used their old standby, the Borg corporate mentality: "We like that, buy the company and assimilate them!" It's a tactic that has traditionally worked well for them.
 
Vrmithrax said:
MrAnderson said:
MS may be able to have a law suite if the patent the lay out, but if the sensor tech and basic software belongs to the Sensor company then MS might not be able to do much beyond asking damages for copying the look which they could argue will cause marketing confusion, and they have invested lots of money in marketing not to be foiled...

I think the primary issue here is this: Microsoft used PrimeSense's package, which was being peddled to other companies before Microsoft bit. Basically, unless there was a rigid exclusivity agreement between Microsoft and PrimeSense, there is no way Microsoft can sue PrimeSense for making a product that looks like it always has.

Bottom line is, MS molded the Kinect around a sensor array system that already existed, they didn't make it from scratch, so they have no proprietary rights to the "look" of a product based on someone else's design. Unless they own that design (or designing company) outright, that is. Surprised Microsoft hasn't used their old standby, the Borg corporate mentality: "We like that, buy the company and assimilate them!" It's a tactic that has traditionally worked well for them.

Who's to say MS didn't get some sort of exclusivity agreement? If there's one thing I'd want as a CEO it would be to make sure only my company could use this tech.
 
princeton said:
Who's to say MS didn't get some sort of exclusivity agreement? If there's one thing I'd want as a CEO it would be to make sure only my company could use this tech.

According to every account I've seen, Microsoft is simply licensing the sensor technology from PrimeSense. If PrimeSense gave them any kind of exclusive, there would be no market for them outside of the Kinect, and there is no way they would be working with other manufacturers currently.

It's a bit like a cell phone company trying to stop an AMOLED screen manufacturer from selling similar screens to other cell phone competitors. You can't stifle the component manufacturer's ability to continue doing its business... Unless, as I said earlier, you buy that component manufacturer, then you can do whatever the heck you want :)
 
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