Holds your horses there Microsoft fanboys Apple hasn’t gobbled up Xbox Kinect… yet. They have been awarded a patent for something that feels like and performs very much like the Xbox Kinect. The patent we’re talking about is of a 3D display and imaging system, a technology that Apple may put inside its devices in the future.
Microsoft already has a product out in the market that uses this technology. Its a peripheral used with Xbox 360 consoles. The receivers in Xbox Kinect pick up movements which are then relayed to the console for appropriate response. Playing games using Xbox Kinect is fun particularly when doing so with a group of friends or your family. Now it looks like Apple wants in on that, can’t let Microsoft have all the glory can we Cupertino?
The patent describes that a projector with a scanning beam will be used to pick up movements through a receiver, which has been displayed as a secondary device in this patent. Functioning similarly to the Xbox Kinect, the movements will then be transferred to the system. There’s only one input device and that is your own body.
However, Apple might go the extra mile. The patent states that this technology can also be used to display holographic images, something which obviously differentiates it against the Xbox Kinect. Apple says that this technology has a variety of applications including but not limited to virtual reality, flight simulation, entertainment, medical diagnostics, gaming and robotics. On the other hand, Microsoft has limited the capabilities of Xbox Kinect to game playing and other petty tasks which are obviously not as cool as what Apple is suggesting. Then again, isn’t that why Apple is so successful? They make cool products and people stand in lines for hours to buy them regardless of the fact that most products leave a big hole in their pockets.
We obviously can’t be too sure about Apple coming out with a new device that has this technology. Apple files a plethora of patents and is awarded most of them but that doesn’t imply that we’ll be seeing everything on the market that Apple patents. On a slightly different note, have you seen the awesomely cool Xbox 360 super console?
But they won’t use it because of Gorilla Arm. Moving on.
My own aunt had been seeking this specific info. I feel I must get her read this.