In my new Year predictions which I am expecting to get totally wrong I actually got something right already!
Someone has managed to hook up a Kinect to their PC and use it in Second Life to control their avatar movements and gestures.
Those same guys from the University of Southern California, Institute for Creative Technologies, have pulled it off again so it's sure to surface in an Opensim world before long. I understand there is a two second delay though which might make it a bit laggy for combat. Still,those who need exercise might soon have great way to work out while chating to and dancing with their friends in their favourite virtual world.
Two video clips to follow; the first Second Life but in the next video clip a little more magic takes the form of 3D rendering and animation using 3ds Max software. A Chinese hacker has used the OpenNI drivers to get Kinect to translate the motions of the user. This works by detecting the position of body and hands to control the animated avatar on screen. Anyone with 3ds Max will be able, at low cost, to easily generate lifelike gestures to use with their avatar in an Opensim world.
The future is defiantly on the march!
