X-Box Natal
The Re-Birth of a Digital Revolution
Thought Microsoft was out of the game? Well, they are actually in the process of reinventing it and about to reclaim their place as major players in the newest wave of the digital revolution with their upcoming release of their project “Natal”.
“This is a pivotal moment that will carry with it a wave of change, the ripples of which will reach far beyond video games” — Steven Spielberg
Thought the Nintendo Wii controller was cool? Microsoft didn’t. Their newest creation may just make the Wii and its hand-held motion sensing controller obsolete. In fact, they decided to do away with hand-held controllers all together for their newest video game console. Not only are you in control but you are the controller.
What they’re introducing is a somewhat self-contained module that you plug-in to your Xbox 360. Its a completely hands free device that works with cameras and motion detectors. The system’s monochrome camera works with infrared sensors that actually detect depth so it knows exactly how close or far away your body is and it even knows what you’re doing with it because Natal’s software tracks 48 of the bodies various joints. Natal also a has a highly specialized microphone that can decipher voice commands. It’s sound sensors use information Microsoft gathered via an acoustic study of living rooms in order to allow it to recognize exactly whom to take voice commands from even when other players are talking over you.
It all sounds pretty exciting, and although the release date hasn’t been announced it will be sometime in 2010, we can’t wait!
