Microsoft builds Kinect into Asus laptops

Microsoft and Asus have built a laptop with Kinect motion-sensing technology on board. Two prototype machines were recently seen, but not used, by The Daily, the website says. The two notebook PCs feature extra, Kinect-oriented distance sensors built into their screen bezels alongside their regular webcams. Microsoft is keen …

[Grease Monkey]

Well my kids tried Kinect it spent a fair amount of time telling them to move away from the screen. It would be kind of hard to use a laptop from two metres away.

It would make sense to build Kinect into a PC that is likely to be used for gaming, but a laptop? Just another expense that most users don't want.

[Anonymous Coward]

Distance

Do you think they may have thought of that?

[Ian Ferguson]

Not sure how this would work - I guess they'd have to scale down the technology considerably.

After trying Kinect at other people's houses, and barely being able to get it to register us by standing right at the back of the room, I concluded that my house is just too small for it. I think it's designed for massive empty American living rooms, like in the adverts, not for a standard British room.

[Ben Rosenthal]

Hmmm, probably more interested in some decent built in gesture based controls for my laptop than I am about leaping around the front room in front of a glowing monolith of a TV.......which is something that does not interest me even slightly.

Makes sense to me as touchpads are rubbish, touchscreens are still overpriced and plugging in a mouse (my usual option) is a bit messy.

[Tom 7]

More reasons not to get on the tube

be like cage fighting in there.

[mikeyboosh]

Asus marketing ticking the USP box.

[Wanda Lust]

Asus schmooosh

So what?

On one hand we have Asus launching Tegra based Android wonder slabs and on the other Intel engined Windows ultrabooks. The former immediately became a myth akin to unicorns & blue Sundays and the latter are priced to sell more MacBook Airs.

Announcements, launches and such marketing piffles are normally followed by manufacturing & logistics execution providing punters the ability to purchase (and the company to make money).

As I write, I can't even recall what this article was about as it was so inconsequential to real life!

[Dave 126]

This isn't XBOX version...

it's been tweaked work at smaller distances. Your FAIL is a FAIL : D

As a 3D CAD user, this might have potential for 1, scanning 3D objects, and 2, maybe developing a 3D gesture-based 'digital clay' interface for CAD software - using my hands, not my limbs. Anything that allows you to swap away from one input device to another can only reduce (the chance of) RSI.

Hell, it would stimulate the 'little grey cells' if the designer were able to stand up and pace about whilst designing. ( see recent studies that suggest foreign languages are learnt quicker if the student is moving around )

We've already seen software that allows Solidworks to be manipulated with an XBOX 360 controller.

However, Kinect would be more flexible in its current stand-alone form.

I'm excited to see what software comes along.

[Ian Yates]

Black Mirror

Just makes me think of that Black Mirror episode where everything was gesture controlled.

The same as desktop touch-screens: until they can come up with a HID that requires less input for more productivity than a keyboard/mouse combo, it'll never work.

Waving at my screen to go to the desktop is not quicker than Win+D, especially when my left hand is normally within a few centimetres of that part of the keyboard anyway.

[Anonymous Coward]

Stand Behind Someone

Then use the format C: gesture

[Anonymous Cowbard]

Eye tracking

I've seen a superb demo of similar technology, it tracks your eyes to see where you're looking on the screen.

Web pages scroll as your eyes move, icons can be selected by sight and the advertising possibilities are endless (sadly).

This was with low resolution cameras too. I'd imagine kinect style technology would have no problem with it.

The days of the scrollwheel could be nearly over.

[Stewart Cunningham]

I was thinking along similar lines, but for gaming. Controlling FPS targeting with your eyes would be far superior to mouse input.

[Clive Galway]

I think your eyes dart around too much for that maybe?

Better use would be 6DOF head tracking ala TrackIR.

They built it into Forza 4 so it is definitely possible with Kinect.

I fail to understand why MS is not pushing head tracking hard - it's an obvious use of the technology and one that can easily be added to existing games. If they built it into BF3 or COD, I reckon Kinects would fly off the shelves. It's an easy in to the PC market as well, where gamers are less likely to buy a kinect as if they want to play a kinect style game they would use a console.

Admittedly, for full support in multiplayer (ie you can see other players' heads look around) you need extra bandwidth, but you don't have to support that.

[Patrick Weber]

3d Video Conferences?

One obvious application would be to improve video conferencing, by isolating the person in front of the camera from the background (trivial once you have depth information), and assemble a virtual meeting room with several participants.

[Goat Jam]

Neat Idea

I could take a photo of the office behind my desk then do video conferences from the beach.

BOSS: "Nice work Goatjam! Oh, btw, why can I hear seagulls in your office? Also, aren't you dressed a bit too casual, even by your normal standards? I mean board shorts and a singlet. really?"

GJ: "Uh, kthxbye, gtg" <click>

[Keith Starsmeare]

Why knock something you've not even tried?

If they can get the kinect experience to work but at much closer distances then I can think of many times that this could be a handy interface even on a laptop. I often listen to music or play video on my laptop, a quick wave to skip/pause/mute would be quite cool IMHO.

[Anonymous Coward]

"It looks like you're masturbating.

Would you like some help with that?"

[James Cooke]

If it worked reliably at the distance of the normal laptop touchpad I would love it. A quick gesture for say a page down when reading to save me moving my hand all the way to the right of the keyboard to find the Page Down button would be welcome but I'm not sure of how much of a price premium I would be willing to pay.

[Stuart Ball]

Using your "mug" to login

They have facial recognition in Xbox Live, so it may be a move to have that style of technology built into Windows 8 security model. Kinect means it wont be fooled by a cardboard cutout, but a rubber mask or prosthetic makeup may dupe it.

[willb]

This could work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw

[Johnny English]

This thread is pointless without pics

No pics. No point.