Boy, Microsoft should have paid more attention to all those bright young hackers. A lot more.
Back in November 2010, when Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) unveiled its Kinect product to the public.
Kinect is a motion-sensing input device that responds to full body movements – no remote required – as well as gestures and vocal commands.
It made a great add-on to the firm’s popular Xbox 360 game unit. Indeed, it turned the gaming world upside down two years ago, immediately expanding the appeal of gaming to dancers, athletes, and even the elderly. (Kinect is a verifiable nursing home hit.)
Yet it soon became clear that it was to become much, much more than that.
The motion-sensing technology behind Kinect is breakthrough high tech. I predict it will have hundreds of applications that could be worth billions to investors.
Just imagine…
Musicians could put on live concerts with a virtual “band” backing them up. Kids could learn to mimic the exact movements of their favorite sports stars.
Online shoppers could use a personal avatar that lets them virtually “try on” clothes before buying them. Stroke victims could receive physical therapy through their home PCs or their smart TVs.
With the gesture controls, surgeons could even access patient files, send alerts to other doctors, even pull down facts from the Web if needed – all without leaving the confines of a sterile environment.
As I see it, motion sensors will change the future of gaming, architecture, design, medicine, and much more…
No wonder hackers jumped on board in droves.
