PrimeSense and Asus announce Kinect-style device for living room PCs

PrimeSense, the company that created the motion-sensing technology for Kinect, has teamed up with Asus to create a new controller-free interaction device -- this time for PC. The WAVI Xtion device is designed to enable gesture control of media center PCs in living rooms. It's similar to Kinect in a few ways, but focused on the multimedia control features instead of the game stuff.

There might still be games and other assorted programs: sometime after the Q2 launch, Asus will open an "Xtion Online Store" through which developers can sell apps designed in the Xtion PRO platform. The PRO development technology will be released in February. The WAVI Xtion device itself will be unveiled during CES, which runs from January 6 to 9.

Update: PrimeSense issued a correction regarding the linked press release. The line "The WAVI Xtion media center for the PC leverages ultra-wide band wireless link and PrimeSense 3D sensing solution to provide controller-free interaction experiences in the living room" should read "The WAVI Xtion media center for the PC leverages wireless HDMI technology and PrimeSense 3D motion sensor technology to provide controller-free experiences in the living room."

Reader Comments (14)

I really don't see a major use for this...

@MEMgrizzlies7

Some people do not have consoles in their media rooms.. they only have HTPCs and this would allow them to have the feature of gesture based control. I believe there is a market for this (though people reading this info on a gaming blog may find it hard to comprehend that there are people who don't own consoles). ;)

@ToTheMoon I understand that a lot of people don't have consoles, but if the main use for this is gesture based control then I don't see why not just use a mouse and keyboard. I got a Kinect and it's pretty sweet, but when it comes to navigating menus and such I would MUCH rather have a controller.

Worst product name ever.

@iFester

And somehow, still not as bad as that logo.

@iFester
I feel like I'm speaking in a Dark Tongue when I pronounce it. But at least there's not the 'Kinex' problem.

@SonoTori

Apparently no one has pronounced it right, because if they did the evil army would rise from the ground to take over.

I wonder if Microsoft made a mistake of releasing Kinect too early.

Had they worked on the software a bit more, they could have released this for the PC as well and then licensed this technology out to companies like Asus instead of having them develop their own versions.

I suspect we will be seeing many similar products in the few years and aside from the usual lawsuits that will follow, there will be someone who comes along with an HD camera and fully developed software for home users and PCs.

I'm interested to see how MS will respond or if they are solely interested in the console market.

@ToTheMoon
Kinect is coming to the PC eventually. Microsoft sort of indirectly said that it will about a year ago.

@einhanderkiller

I missed that comment - well they had better announce something soon because with all the mods being done on the PC, I'm sure a lot of people have gotten some good ideas on how to use this technology to their gain.

They also may not have to use the Kinect itself but use other software/hardware so they can get around the whole licensing thing.

@Curtis17

I'd be more okay with it in my laptop than my home computer, that's for sure.

My only beef right now is with the interest that MS appears to have with using Kinect or (other devices) for marketing purposes.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/kinects-camera-could-record-data-for-advertisers/

I'm in my mid 30's and consider my privacy just that. Private. I realize that the generation below me doesn't really care about their privacy (see Exhibit A: Facebook) so this may not bother certain people but it will be some time before I give a company the permission to look into my home and, based on what they see, target specific ads towards me or the rest of my family.

Saying Primesense made the motion-sensing technology for Kinect is technically inaccurate. Primesense designed the the reference hardware used to capture 3D video, used in Kinect. And that's the extent of their work in Kinect.

Microsoft themselves designed the software used to detect motions, and use their own skeletal tracking system. Although Primesense have their own skeletal tracking and motion sensing system, it is not used in Kinect, and Kinect's implementation uses less processing power and relies on a key prediction algorithm to determine your next possible range of movements, developed internally by Microsoft Research, as Primesense's system would have been unsuitable for Kinect (requires far more processing power than Microsoft are willing to reserve for Kinects usage).

@JasonDassh nice thanks for the info

PrimeSense and Asus announce Kinect-style device for living room PCs

Reader Comments (14)

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 10:53AM MEMgrizzlies7 said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 10:57AM ToTheMoon said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 1:30PM MEMgrizzlies7 said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 10:54AM iFester said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 11:14AM baby sea tuna said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 12:43PM SonoTori said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 1:27PM Enosoma said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 10:54AM ToTheMoon said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 11:06AM einhanderkiller said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 11:24AM ToTheMoon said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 11:54AM Curtis17 said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 12:09PM ToTheMoon said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 11:15AM JasonDassh said

Posted: Jan 3rd 2011 12:20PM BReal206 said

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