Kinect could see action in mobile cameras thanks to Microsoft patent

Microsoft’s Kinect has certainly had its fair share of hacks in the past, and I must say that some of those hacks are very impressive to say the least. Well, the latest information from the street would be Microsoft being granted a couple of patent applications that might just see Kinect capability being introduced into the world of mobile cameras – and definitely smartphones will be at the forefront of the action. One of the patents do point towards a depth camera taking the portable route, where it has been described as “mobile environment sensor” which will help determine its trajectory through a room, while coming up with a depth map as it moves about. Sort of like those pinging robots that we saw in Prometheus, no? Apart from visual mapping, this potential camera will also pin its hopes on a motion sensor such as an accelerometer in order to better judge its position as it is moved around.

As for the second patent filing, it will rely on Kinect technology that is already lying around the house to provide you with that directorial debut you’ve always dreamed off. You will rely on hand gestures to edit the movie, where the depth camera is also capable of generating a model of the environment while creating 3D props out of actual objects. What do you think of these patents?

Edwin Kee
Categories: Gaming
Tags: Kinect, Microsoft, Patent