Joystiq

Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[MarionetteBot is a frightening fusion of Kinect and mannequin]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/marionettebot-is-a-frightening-fusion-of-kinect-and-mannequin/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/marionettebot-is-a-frightening-fusion-of-kinect-and-mannequin/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/marionettebot-is-a-frightening-fusion-of-kinect-and-mannequin/#comments
Japan has found new heights (depths?) of creepiness today with the United Arrow Marionettebot, a custom Kinect hack pairing Microsoft's motion-tracking camera with display mannequins.

The mannequins of United Arrow's clothing store mimic the poses and movements of passersby. It's billed as a marketing effort in the video above, despite being the stuff of nightmares.

MarionetteBot is a frightening fusion of Kinect and mannequin originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japankinectkinect-hackkinect-hacksmannequinmarionettemarionettebotmicrosoftunited-arrowxboxFri, 15 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Play this Kinect game and some may call you Tim]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/play-this-kinect-game-and-some-may-call-you-tim/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/play-this-kinect-game-and-some-may-call-you-tim/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/play-this-kinect-game-and-some-may-call-you-tim/#comments

You have to love this Monty Python and the Holy Grail Kinect game, even though we all know that Tim the Enchanter had nothing to do with destroying the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog. Maybe someone will add the Holy Hand Grenade as DLC.

You can learn more about the game's creation here.

Play this Kinect game and some may call you Tim originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftmonty-pythonmonty-python-and-the-holy-grailtim-the-enchanterxboxWed, 25 Jan 2012 13:50:00 EST<![CDATA[How games can teach students 10 times faster, with more sweeping hand gestures]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/10/how-games-can-teach-students-10-times-faster-with-more-sweeping/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/10/how-games-can-teach-students-10-times-faster-with-more-sweeping/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/10/how-games-can-teach-students-10-times-faster-with-more-sweeping/#comments

In order to ensure mankind's future as the dominant super-race on this planet, we must activate our youth through education -- and video games.

Atari founder Nolan Bushnell has been testing education software for years and says he has created a method of teaching a full high school career in less than a year, using, in large part, cloud systems. "In cloud gaming you disconnect the system's administration from the computer to the cloud," Bushnell told GamesIndustry.biz. "It's going to be an important step for allowing technology into the classroom." Bushnell says his program teaches students 10 times faster than traditional methods, and his shortened high-school-span plan could be ready for implementation by the end of 2011.

Not to be outdone, the Kinect-based education-resource blog KinectEDucation advocates using Kinect to augment learning environments, and is currently holding its Kinect in Education Contest, challenging hackers to create Kinect apps for use in classrooms. Two $500 prizes will be awarded, one for the most innovative and adaptable classroom software, and one for the "best" in-class video showcasing a Kinect classroom experience. The contest runs now through November 30.

How games can teach students 10 times faster, with more sweeping hand gestures originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloudeducationkinectkinect-hackskinecteducationmicrosoftNolan-BushnellpcxboxSat, 10 Sep 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[KinectFusion HQ creates 3D models from your surroundings]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/kinectfusion-hq-creates-3d-models-from-your-surroundings/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/kinectfusion-hq-creates-3d-models-from-your-surroundings/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/kinectfusion-hq-creates-3d-models-from-your-surroundings/#comments

We've seen people do some pretty awesome stuff with the Kinect that expands the peripheral's applications beyond the realm of controlling games, but we've yet to see anything that matches the wide-reaching implications of Microsoft Research's KinectFusion HQ concept.

Using the Kinect's dual cameras, KinectFusion HQ can construct an accurate, high-quality 3D representation of an entire room in a matter of seconds. The longer the Kinect has to look at a specific object, the more detailed that object then becomes; able to accurately scan and render millimeter differences in texture.

Once the room is rendered, the model can then be interacted with in real time, which the above (oddly silent) tech demo demonstrates in increasingly wild and mind-blowing ways. Since the Kinect is typically thought of as a stationary object, it will be interesting to see how this technology may eventually be implemented into gaming, since its primary functionality relies on moving the unit around the space you're scanning.

KinectFusion HQ creates 3D models from your surroundings originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Kinectkinect-hacksKinectFusionKinectFusion-HQmicrosoftmicrosoft-researchxboxMon, 15 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Make a stuffed monkey dance with Kinect]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/12/make-a-stuffed-monkey-dance-with-kinect/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/12/make-a-stuffed-monkey-dance-with-kinect/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/12/make-a-stuffed-monkey-dance-with-kinect/#comments

Using a Kinect sensor and a series of Arduino motors, modern artists Jan M. Sieber and Ralph Kistler have created the greatest thing ever: a stuffed monkey which you control with your own movements. Just click past the jump, dummy. You're wasting valuable monkey-watching time.

Continue reading Make a stuffed monkey dance with Kinect

Make a stuffed monkey dance with Kinect originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artdancekinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftmonkeypcxboxFri, 12 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Gesture-controlled quadrocopter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/kinect-hacks-gesture-controlled-quadrocopter/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/kinect-hacks-gesture-controlled-quadrocopter/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/kinect-hacks-gesture-controlled-quadrocopter/#comments
Step by step, day by day, the world's researchers and engineers bring us ever closer to the reality of Kinect-enabled telekinesis. Check out a video demo below of Flying Machine Arena's clever hack, which enables even more precise control of a stunt quadrocopter using simple hand gestures.

Kinect Hacks: Gesture-controlled quadrocopter originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ar-droneflightkinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftquadrocopterxboxWed, 06 Jul 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Walk the Line: a 3D, Canabalt-like project for Kinect]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/04/walk-the-line-a-3d-canabalt-like-project-for-kinect/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/04/walk-the-line-a-3d-canabalt-like-project-for-kinect/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/04/walk-the-line-a-3d-canabalt-like-project-for-kinect/#comments
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the man in Canabalt? We haven't because, frankly, we've sent the little guy hurtling to his death very, very often. If your own morbid curiosity can overcome this grisly truth, you may be interested in Walk the Line, a Kinect project developed by students at ENJMIN, a games and interactive media school in France.

Walk the Line tasks players with escaping a city as it falls down around them, physically dodging obstacles and leaping over chasms. You can see the action in the (all too brief) trailer above. We just hope the folks at Kinect Fun Labs - or even the good people at Microsoft Studios - are watching too.

Walk the Line: a 3D, Canabalt-like project for Kinect originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jul 2011 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftpcwalk-the-linexboxMon, 04 Jul 2011 23:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Vote on the next Kinect hack to become a Kinect Fun Labs toy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/vote-on-the-next-kinect-hack-to-become-a-kinect-fun-labs-toy/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/vote-on-the-next-kinect-hack-to-become-a-kinect-fun-labs-toy/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/vote-on-the-next-kinect-hack-to-become-a-kinect-fun-labs-toy/#comments

You can be part of the ongoing experiments in Microsoft's Kinect Fun Labs. Six more well-known Kinect hacks are up for consideration as new Fun Labs apps, and Microsoft wants you to vote on the one you'd like to see first.

The apps in question include Keyboard Anywhere, Virtual Conductor, Kinect Body Art, Hand Puppets, Digital Pin Art, and Music Visualizer. If you have a strong opinion about which hack you'd like to see on your Xbox first, hit the Facebook "like" button associated with your choice between now and July 6.

Vote on the next Kinect hack to become a Kinect Fun Labs toy originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-fun-labskinect-hacksmicrosoftxboxTue, 14 Jun 2011 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Trippy techno-massage]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/kinect-hacks-trippy-techno-massage/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/kinect-hacks-trippy-techno-massage/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/kinect-hacks-trippy-techno-massage/#comments

Though we never assumed that muscular relaxation and gaming peripherals would ever dovetail, massage therapist Jason Stephens has whipped up a Kinect hack that combines the two. Check out Stephens' "technologically mediated healing modality" in this clip, and get ready to taste the colors.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Trippy techno-massage

Kinect Hacks: Trippy techno-massage originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 May 2011 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmassagemicrosoftpcTue, 17 May 2011 03:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Pac-Man reimagined with Kinect and Unity3D]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/pac-man-reimagined-with-kinect-and-unity3d/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/pac-man-reimagined-with-kinect-and-unity3d/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/pac-man-reimagined-with-kinect-and-unity3d/#comments

YouTube user buptkangbo used the Unity3D game engine to develop a sort of 3D version of Pac-Man -- or, at least, a game roughly equivalent to what someone who has never seen Pac-Man would imagine if you had just described it to them. A yellow sphere walks around through a grassy field, collecting mushrooms and throwing them at ghost monsters. That's cool; the "official" Pac-Man platformers took lots of liberties, too.

What makes this particular version unique is that it's controlled with Kinect, played dolphin-style -- by which we mean the player leans into the camera as if swimming underwater. See for yourself after the break. If the demo actually becomes available for download and you then decide to try it, we suggest having plenty of snack foods handy for the full Pac-Man experience.

Continue reading Pac-Man reimagined with Kinect and Unity3D

Pac-Man reimagined with Kinect and Unity3D originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 May 2011 03:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksPac-Manpcunity3dTue, 10 May 2011 03:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect and iPhone hacked into Sewer Shark-esque shooter prototype]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/01/kinect-and-iphone-hacked-into-sewer-shark-esque-shooter-prototyp/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/01/kinect-and-iphone-hacked-into-sewer-shark-esque-shooter-prototyp/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/01/kinect-and-iphone-hacked-into-sewer-shark-esque-shooter-prototyp/#comments

Singapore-based developer Rockmoon has created a promising game prototype using Kinect, an iPhone and the Unity engine. As seen in the video below, one player controls a spaceship while another controls a pair of gatling guns using the iPhone. It's like Lucky and Wild meets Sewer Shark! Kind of.

Continue reading Kinect and iPhone hacked into Sewer Shark-esque shooter prototype

Kinect and iPhone hacked into Sewer Shark-esque shooter prototype originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 01 May 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinect-hacksmicrosoftmobilepcrockmoonxboxSun, 01 May 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect and Wii Remote hack makes Tetris much more difficult]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/kinect-and-wii-remote-hack-makes-tetris-much-more-difficult/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/kinect-and-wii-remote-hack-makes-tetris-much-more-difficult/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/kinect-and-wii-remote-hack-makes-tetris-much-more-difficult/#comments

Ever wondered how you could go about making Tetris even more of a difficult, punishing experience? Obviously, turning the speed up to infinity isn't enough to stump the world's most proficient players -- but YouTuber user Keysosaurus' Kinect augmented reality Kinect hack might do the trick.

Continue reading Kinect and Wii Remote hack makes Tetris much more difficult

Kinect and Wii Remote hack makes Tetris much more difficult originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmicrosofttetriswiimotexboxFri, 22 Apr 2011 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect-powered TurtleBot now up for pre-order]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/kinect-powered-turtlebot-now-up-for-pre-order/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/kinect-powered-turtlebot-now-up-for-pre-order/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/kinect-powered-turtlebot-now-up-for-pre-order/#comments

Initially, you might be excited to hear that Willow Garage is now accepting pre-orders for its Kinect robot, the TurtleBot. For just $1199.99, you get everything necessary to construct and program the TurtleBot, and the idea of programming it to fetch victuals from the kitchen seems awfully keen.

That is until you consider the amount of time required for the TurtleBot to achieve sentience. How long could it possibly take? Weeks, days, hours? One minute it's bringing you a delicious, flaky croissant, and the next it's serving up a steaming hot plate of human extinction. As the video after the break explains, this thing is literally designed to track your skeleton and map out your home. Think about it, and don't say we didn't warn you.

Continue reading Kinect-powered TurtleBot now up for pre-order

Kinect-powered TurtleBot now up for pre-order originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftpcturtlebotxboxThu, 21 Apr 2011 03:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect hack: Controlling an AR Drone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/09/kinect-hack-controlling-an-ar-drone/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/09/kinect-hack-controlling-an-ar-drone/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/09/kinect-hack-controlling-an-ar-drone/#comments

Kinect isn't making you feel enough like an omniscient being? Perhaps you'd prefer controlling actual, physical things with your movements, rather than a virtual representation? Boy does Tom Zickel have a Kinect hack for you!

Continue reading Kinect hack: Controlling an AR Drone

Kinect hack: Controlling an AR Drone originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ar-droneaugmented-realitykinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftmobileparrot-ar-dronepctom-zickelxboxSat, 09 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Kinect hacks segment to air on PBS's 'Need to Know' tonight]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/psa-kinect-hacks-segment-to-air-on-pbss-need-to-know-tonight/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/psa-kinect-hacks-segment-to-air-on-pbss-need-to-know-tonight/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/psa-kinect-hacks-segment-to-air-on-pbss-need-to-know-tonight/#comments

Ordinarily, a mainstream news report on how "hackers have repurposed the Kinect to allow people to control computers and the digital world" would have us bracing to put out the fire -- but this is PBS we're talking about. Set your DVR to tape tonight's "Need to Know" and go enjoy your Friday night!

Continue reading PSA: Kinect hacks segment to air on PBS's 'Need to Know' tonight

PSA: Kinect hacks segment to air on PBS's 'Need to Know' tonight originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftneed-to-knowpbstvxboxFri, 08 Apr 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Invade space to control Space Invaders]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/kinect-hacks-invade-space-to-control-space-invaders/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/kinect-hacks-invade-space-to-control-space-invaders/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/kinect-hacks-invade-space-to-control-space-invaders/#comments

Space Invaders is a classic arcade title, presenting a simple premise and an almost infinite progression system. But there's just one thing needed to make it perfect. According to coder Derrgis, who created this version for the ElectroShock Festival, it's motion controls with Kinect.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Invade space to control Space Invaders

Kinect Hacks: Invade space to control Space Invaders originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>francekinect-hacksmicrosoftmotion-controlpcspace-invadersxboxFri, 08 Apr 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Become a paint wizard]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/27/kinect-hacks-become-a-paint-wizard/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/27/kinect-hacks-become-a-paint-wizard/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/27/kinect-hacks-become-a-paint-wizard/#comments

Though this particular Kinect hack is titled "Living Brushes," we prefer the name "Paint Wizard," for reasons you'll likely only comprehend after watching the video below. We've seen the device used for artistic purposes before, but this program from Matt Lockyer absolutely takes the tempera cake.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Become a paint wizard

Kinect Hacks: Become a paint wizard originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artkinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftpaintpcxboxSun, 27 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Navigating your virtual apartment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/26/kinect-hacks-navigating-your-virtual-apartment/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/26/kinect-hacks-navigating-your-virtual-apartment/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/26/kinect-hacks-navigating-your-virtual-apartment/#comments

Some Kinect Hacks seems to have some practical applications to us tech-savvy folks who don't have access to our own mad scientist laboratories. This ain't one of them: Researchers at the Dundalk Institute of Technology have hooked a Kinect up to a virtual apartment, as seen in the video below.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Navigating your virtual apartment

Kinect Hacks: Navigating your virtual apartment originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cavekinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftpcsciencexboxSat, 26 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: A dancer in the machine]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/kinect-hacks-a-dancer-in-the-machine/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/kinect-hacks-a-dancer-in-the-machine/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/kinect-hacks-a-dancer-in-the-machine/#comments

1n0ut, an artist collective specializing in multimedia performance-based art, has created a Kinect hack both beautiful and inspiring to behold. Titled "Versus," it sees a real-life dancer giving lessons to a digital model. Just imagine: Here's a future where we can teach our computers how to Dougie.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: A dancer in the machine

Kinect Hacks: A dancer in the machine originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1n0utartdancekinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftpcperformanceversusxboxFri, 25 Mar 2011 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Playable Ghost in the Shell movie ad]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/kinect-hacks-playable-ghost-in-the-shell-movie-ad/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/kinect-hacks-playable-ghost-in-the-shell-movie-ad/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/kinect-hacks-playable-ghost-in-the-shell-movie-ad/#comments

A Japanese firm has used Microsoft's Kinect peripheral to create a promotional display for the upcoming Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society. The exhibit features images projected on two different walls, and then uses the Kinect to track player movements, allowing visitors to control one of the mechs featured in the movie.

The system itself is actually PC-based, however, so it's not official Xbox software. If you happen to be in Tokyo and want to see it, the promotional exhibit is on display in the Shibuya Parco shopping complex until the middle of April.

Kinect Hacks: Playable Ghost in the Shell movie ad originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ghost-in-the-shellkinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftpromotionxboxThu, 24 Mar 2011 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect PS3 hack is a console purist's worst nightmare]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/kinect-ps3-hack-is-a-console-purists-worst-nightmare/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/kinect-ps3-hack-is-a-console-purists-worst-nightmare/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/kinect-ps3-hack-is-a-console-purists-worst-nightmare/#comments

They said it couldn't be done, but Shantanu Goel has seemingly done it: married an Xbox 360 and PS3 together through some good, old-fashioned Kinect hackery. In the video past the break, you can see the first small steps for man that is Killzone 3 being played with Kinect. Yes, that is a sentence we never thought we'd have to write.

It's still a bit rough around the edges (a self-professed "pre-Alpha" build of the software), but the progress that Goel claims to have made is quite impressive to behold. It could be faked, but all signs point to this being a legitimate, working Kinect hack, using Kinect PC drivers and software that allows the PS3 to use PC controllers. Goel's posted a walkthrough online for all to see.

Continue reading Kinect PS3 hack is a console purist's worst nightmare

Kinect PS3 hack is a console purist's worst nightmare originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guerilla-gameshackKillzone-3kinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftmodplaystationps3shantanu-goelxboxTue, 22 Mar 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Hulk Smash!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/kinect-hacks-hulk-smash/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/kinect-hacks-hulk-smash/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/kinect-hacks-hulk-smash/#comments

Go ahead, let the stress out. It's Friday, after all. Time to Hulk out and smash some buildings before the weekend, thanks to this neat Kinect hack. It uses the sensor's RGB camera to tint your skin green and the Box2d physics engine (same as Angry Birds!) to deliver complete and utter pandemonium.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Hulk Smash!

Kinect Hacks: Hulk Smash! originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>box2dhulkhulk-smashkinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftThe-Incredible-HulkxboxFri, 18 Mar 2011 21:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Docs use Kinect to speed up surgery]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/docs-use-kinect-to-speed-up-surgery/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/docs-use-kinect-to-speed-up-surgery/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/docs-use-kinect-to-speed-up-surgery/#comments

In the best Kinect application since the device turned a dude into Ultraman, doctors in Toronto are using Microsoft's camera tech to speed up surgery, reports The Canadian Press. Surgeons at Sunnybrook Hospital have been using a special Kinect software suite to manipulate images via hand motions, which saves them from having to leave the sterile area around the patient. (Having to re-sterilize mid-surgery can take as long as 20 minutes, so the Kinect "hack" adds up to pretty significant time savings.)

It's a neat development, but we imagine at least one doctor's bound to speak up, "Sure, this is pretty slick, but there's no way I'm gonna move my coffee table out of the OR every time I want to use the Kinect."

Docs use Kinect to speed up surgery originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmedicalmicrosoftxboxFri, 18 Mar 2011 13:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hack: The sensor goes self-aware]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/15/kinect-hack-the-sensor-goes-self-aware/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/15/kinect-hack-the-sensor-goes-self-aware/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/15/kinect-hack-the-sensor-goes-self-aware/#comments

Don't worry, guys -- the video after the jump is from the jokesters at CollegeHumor, so we're pretty sure that it's a fake. Since it's portraying the very terrifying, very possible future of self-aware consumer entertainment devices, we pray to all powers holy that it's a fake.

Continue reading Kinect Hack: The sensor goes self-aware

Kinect Hack: The sensor goes self-aware originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>collegehumorcomedykinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftself-awarenessxboxTue, 15 Mar 2011 18:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Ambient music within arms' reach]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/09/kinect-hacks-ambient-music-within-arms-reach/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/09/kinect-hacks-ambient-music-within-arms-reach/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/09/kinect-hacks-ambient-music-within-arms-reach/#comments

We've already seen the Kinect's proficiency for aiding in the creation of pulsating dubstep tracks -- today, we learned it's also capable of forming slightly more soothing soundscapes. Check out the video below to see Adriano Clemente go on a noisequest using a clever Kinect and Wiimote hack.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Ambient music within arms' reach

Kinect Hacks: Ambient music within arms' reach originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adriano-clementeambientkinect-hacksmicrosoftmusicpcxboxWed, 09 Mar 2011 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Flying Duck, Punching Robot]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/kinect-hacks-flying-duck-punching-robot/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/kinect-hacks-flying-duck-punching-robot/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/23/kinect-hacks-flying-duck-punching-robot/#comments

Today brought about two distinct, homemade Kinect game concepts -- though both share a proclivity towards the bizarre. The first, MazingerZ, comes from a Japanese modder with the YouTube handle Ken450000, and has the player rocket-punching virtual balloon targets projected in front of them. The other, from Pierre Méar and Rahman Kalfane, is called Duck Leonard, and tasks the player with flapping their wings to navigate a mallard through the rooftops of Brooklyn. That's weird, right? What are you doing there, mallard? Ducks belong in ponds, silly.

Check out video demos for the two proofs-of-concepts after the jump!

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Flying Duck, Punching Robot

Kinect Hacks: Flying Duck, Punching Robot originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Duck-LeonardKen450000kinectkinect-hacksMazingerZmicrosoftpcxboxWed, 23 Feb 2011 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Dodgeball on iOS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/20/kinect-hacks-dodgeball-on-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/20/kinect-hacks-dodgeball-on-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/20/kinect-hacks-dodgeball-on-ios/#comments

Intrigued by Microsoft's demo for Kinect Adventures' Rally Ball minigame and its Windows Phone 7 integration? The minds at Supertouch have created a mock-up of the program, which swaps out the Windows-branded smartphones for iOS devices. Check out a video demonstration of the hack below!

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Dodgeball on iOS

Kinect Hacks: Dodgeball on iOS originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftpcsupertouchxboxSun, 20 Feb 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Hole in the (Virtual) Wall]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/19/kinect-hacks-hole-in-the-virtual-wall/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/19/kinect-hacks-hole-in-the-virtual-wall/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/19/kinect-hacks-hole-in-the-virtual-wall/#comments

We've seen Kinect hacks both practical and innovative -- but we're not sure we've seen any as fun as FrogNY Build-It's "Human Tetris." Modeled after a Japanese game show that came to the U.S. under the name Hole in the Wall, it looks like it has potential to become our very favorite party game.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Hole in the (Virtual) Wall

Kinect Hacks: Hole in the (Virtual) Wall originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hole-in-the-wallhuman-tetriskinect-hacksmicrosoftpcxboxSat, 19 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: A pad-free StepMania]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/kinect-hacks-a-pad-free-stepmania/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/kinect-hacks-a-pad-free-stepmania/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/kinect-hacks-a-pad-free-stepmania/#comments

Are you sick of using the Kinect to play games which allow you to actually dance? Modder MMaximus' newest Kinect hack might seem like a step backwards for the genre, but it's a major step forwards for StepMania technology. (And a step to the left! And a step to the right! Now jump!)

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: A pad-free StepMania

Kinect Hacks: A pad-free StepMania originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dancedancerevolution-2010kinect-hacksmicrosoftpcstepmaniaxboxThu, 17 Feb 2011 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: The futuristic, unloseable remote]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/kinect-hacks-the-futuristic-unloseable-remote/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/kinect-hacks-the-futuristic-unloseable-remote/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/kinect-hacks-the-futuristic-unloseable-remote/#comments

If your loveseat sustains itself on a diet of channel changers, Harishankar Narayanan's Kinect hack is right up your alley: Using the peripheral and a Universal Infrared Receiver Transmitter, any ol' couch potato can turn their body into a remote that's virtually impossible to misplace.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: The futuristic, unloseable remote

Kinect Hacks: The futuristic, unloseable remote originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftremote-controltelevisionxboxSun, 13 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[German software devs planning Kinect SDK release for PC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/german-software-devs-planning-kinect-sdk-release-for-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/german-software-devs-planning-kinect-sdk-release-for-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/german-software-devs-planning-kinect-sdk-release-for-pc/#comments

We've highlighted German developer Evoluce before for its impressive Kinect hacks, both to control Windows 7 applications and command soldiers in Ubisoft's RUSE. This time, Evoluce has announced plans to empower more hacks through the release of its software development kit for PC. The "3D-Sensing Custom Software for Kinect" -- which could, admittedly, use a better name -- promises to provide would-be devs with "core features," such as "3D virtual reality experience with full-body avatars" and "touch-free user interfaces."

A region-restricted video demonstration of the SDK is available to German viewers on Prosieben.de, but the rest of us are going to have to wait until Evoluce actually releases its kit for a chance to check it out. But who knows -- by that time, Microsoft may have gotten its own, rumored Kinect SDK together. Hurry Evoluce!

German software devs planning Kinect SDK release for PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>evolucekinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftpcsdkxboxFri, 11 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect hack: 'FPS' is for 'First-Person Superman']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/kinect-hack-fps-is-for-first-person-superman/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/kinect-hack-fps-is-for-first-person-superman/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/kinect-hack-fps-is-for-first-person-superman/#comments

Utilizing a Vuzix video headset and the Kinect, this project from the University of Amsterdam lets you pretend to be Superman. The experience offers many of Supe's abilities, including ice breath, super strength, heat vision and, best of all, first-person flying. Bonus, you can also zap Darth Vader.

Continue reading Kinect hack: 'FPS' is for 'First-Person Superman'

Kinect hack: 'FPS' is for 'First-Person Superman' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftpcsupermanxboxFri, 11 Feb 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Stomp through the Sprawl in Dead Space 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/kinect-hacks-stomp-through-the-sprawl-in-dead-space-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/kinect-hacks-stomp-through-the-sprawl-in-dead-space-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/kinect-hacks-stomp-through-the-sprawl-in-dead-space-2/#comments

This latest Kinect hack demo is something of a mixed bag: Some aspects of playing Dead Space 2 using Kinect and a Wiimote don't work so well. Others work really, really well -- like stomping. If there's a more satisfying-looking gesture in gaming for the rest of the year, we'll eat our hats.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Stomp through the Sprawl in Dead Space 2

Kinect Hacks: Stomp through the Sprawl in Dead Space 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dead-space-2eakinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftnintendopcwiiwiimotexboxWed, 09 Feb 2011 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hack: Gestural laser light show]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/02/kinect-hack-gestural-laser-light-show/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/02/kinect-hack-gestural-laser-light-show/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/02/kinect-hack-gestural-laser-light-show/#comments

Though it's not the most useful superpower in terms of fightin' crime, the ability to shoot beams of light out of your hand would still be a pretty radical ability to possess. That's a dream made real by Phil Reyneri's recent Kinect hack, which has nearly limitless potential for DJs worldwide.

Continue reading Kinect Hack: Gestural laser light show

Kinect Hack: Gestural laser light show originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>djkinectkinect-hackslasermicrosoftxboxWed, 02 Feb 2011 06:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Take to the skies with Avaglide]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/kinect-hacks-take-to-the-skies-with-avaglide/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/kinect-hacks-take-to-the-skies-with-avaglide/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/kinect-hacks-take-to-the-skies-with-avaglide/#comments

We've seen YouTube user Demize2010 come up with some clever applications for the Kinect, but his latest might just be his most ambitious project to date: Using the peripheral and the indie game Avaglide, he's managed to grant ordinary humans with the gift of flight. (Kind of.)

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Take to the skies with Avaglide

Kinect Hacks: Take to the skies with Avaglide originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avaglidekinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftxboxSun, 30 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Monkeying around with 1:1 movement]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/29/kinect-hacks-monkeying-around-with-1-1-movement/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/29/kinect-hacks-monkeying-around-with-1-1-movement/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/29/kinect-hacks-monkeying-around-with-1-1-movement/#comments

Activate 3D's latest Kinect hack doesn't sound all that special on paper -- it lets you interact with a virtual world using 1:1 motion detection -- but the video demonstration of the software is quite special, indeed. Check out Activate 3D's virtual playground shenanigans below.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Monkeying around with 1:1 movement

Kinect Hacks: Monkeying around with 1:1 movement originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activate-3dkinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftxboxSat, 29 Jan 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Doodle Synthesizer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/kinect-hacks-doodle-synthesizer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/kinect-hacks-doodle-synthesizer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/kinect-hacks-doodle-synthesizer/#comments

Clearly tired of waiting for Lionhead to put its Milo wizardry to good use, Kinect hacker "roboczar" created an application that turns a plain ol' piece of printer paper into a synthesizer by recognizing shapes drawn on the page as sound buttons. The Kinect sensor scans the object (paper, in this case) and virtualizes it into a musical instrument. What happens next, however, is where things get really magical.

Roboczar uses the application -- one he wrote at MIT, applied in tandem with other open-source code -- to play a dedication to our favorite L.A. cop, Axel Foley. Bravo, sir! Head past the break and get your boogie on.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Doodle Synthesizer

Kinect Hacks: Doodle Synthesizer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>axel-foleybeverly-hills-copkinectkinect-hacksmicrosoftmitopenniroboczarrossynthesizerxboxFri, 28 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect + Wii Remote + Vuzix Hack: a 'VR' first person shooter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/26/kinect-wii-remote-vuzix-hack-a-vr-first-person-shooter/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/26/kinect-wii-remote-vuzix-hack-a-vr-first-person-shooter/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/26/kinect-wii-remote-vuzix-hack-a-vr-first-person-shooter/#comments

You've seen a number of Kinect hacks. But have you seen one that integrates a Wii Remote Plus and Vuzix headset? And has you shooting weird floating anime heads with paintballs? Probably not. Developer Nao_u certainly deserves props for this ingenious, but impractical, use of motion gaming.

Continue reading Kinect + Wii Remote + Vuzix Hack: a 'VR' first person shooter

Kinect + Wii Remote + Vuzix Hack: a 'VR' first person shooter originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinect-hacksmicrosoftnao_unintendovuzixwiiwii-remote-plusxboxWed, 26 Jan 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect hacks: Playing Angry Birds]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/25/kinect-hacks-playing-angry-birds/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/25/kinect-hacks-playing-angry-birds/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/25/kinect-hacks-playing-angry-birds/#comments

You might have heard of KinEmote, software that allows users to control their PCs using Kinect. Previously, we've seen it used to control Boxee and XMBC, but now the folks at KinEmote.net have found a much better use for it: Angry Birds. The setup uses a wireless controller for button inputs and tracks the player's hand for mouse functions. See it in action after the break.

Continue reading Kinect hacks: Playing Angry Birds

Kinect hacks: Playing Angry Birds originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angry-birdskinectkinect-hackskinemotemicrosoftxboxTue, 25 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Hacks: Mapping the world]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/23/kinect-hacks-mapping-the-world/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/23/kinect-hacks-mapping-the-world/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/23/kinect-hacks-mapping-the-world/#comments

Homebrew Kinect software just passed the "cool" threshold into "a little scary," making Microsoft's camera device do things we shouldn't reasonably expect out of controllers. We couldn't use our Turbo Touch 360s to generate a 3D model of a stretch of road, complete with buildings and scenery, after all. Not that we ever tried.

Martin Szarski strapped a Kinect sensor to his car, hooked it up to a laptop and Nexus One phone (for location data) and set about creating a "point cloud" of his car's path. Using a phone with a gyroscope to better sense the car's movement, Szarski said, the cloud would appear clearer. But for a 3D space captured by a $150 game controller, it's pretty impressive, no? Imagine this cheap DIY tech in the hands of indie devs, who could create levels by exploring in real life.

Kinect Hacks: Mapping the world originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-hacksmartin-szarskimicrosoftpcxboxSun, 23 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST