We
had a hunch that 3DV Systems' technology -- which we actually
toyed with back at CES 2008 -- had
something to do with Microsoft's newly unveiled
Project Natal motion tracking solution, and today details have trickled in to us confirming as much. As the story goes, 3DV Systems was initially hoping to have the ZCam in the manufacturing process by the tail end of 2008, but Microsoft swooped in and acquired the outfit just weeks after it blew minds in January. At the time, not much thought was given to the pickup; now, however, we're treated to a bona fide ZCam brochure which details the actual specifications behind the Xbox 360's newest friend. Granted, we have every reason to believe that Natal has advanced significantly from what you'll see in the gallery below, but it's still a tasty nugget of behind-the-scenes information. Of note, the former 3DV Systems VP of Business Development was quoted as saying that the target retail price of the ZCam was $100, though it still had aways to go as of early 2008.
posted June 3rd 2009 4:21PM
Am I the only one who hates "a ways to go", which has now apparently morphed in to "aways to go"?
It's "a way" to go, as in, "a long way".
I know language is fluid/living and all that, but there's no need to mutilate it.
Yours sincerely,
The English
You expect Americans to write proper English? Good one.
Microsoft... the Fiscal Frontier. These are the voyages of the software enterprise. Its twenty-five-year mission: to acquire strange new technologies; to seek out existing markets and under-funded organizations; to boldly go where others have gone before.
Yep. That's true of them and every other tech company in the world.
Not every other company. For example, 3DV Systems strategy was to invent something, then get bought out.
When and where can we purchase this acidhead idiot with a beanie? Honestly, what was wrong with joysticks..?
I wonder if Natal would blur/censor out private parts! Milo would be surprised at the size of my C***. He might even laugh at me. :( LOL
Interesting, because they've already stated that it -isn't- based on anything from 3DV, and was primarily designed in-house. Which isn't that much of a shocker if you've been keeping up with a couple of Microsoft Research projects for the past two years or so.
Anyway: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/e3-natal-not-derived-from-3dv
The purchase was probably patent related. Since Microsoft only bought 3DV a few months ago, they couldn't have developed 3DV's stuff that quickly. 3DV and Microsoft aren't the only companies developing time-of-flight cameras, so it helps to have patents to defend against lawsuits.
Duh Engadget, it took you this long to figure this out?
By the way, nothing in that brochure suggests that those are "the actual specifications behind the Xbox 360's newest friend." All that brochure says is that the ZCam can do stuff that Natal can also do, but we already knew that.
Is that the guy from those old Dell commercials?
I wonder if microsoft gonna use this technology to release AO Game?
don't track me bro!
Hey Engadget, Just thought you should know this story was scooped by you readers already. Just check the comments in your previous stories about the rumored device.
Doesn't anyone care about the name they chose for this? Natal??
natal 1 |ˈnātl|
adjective
of or relating to the place or time of one's birth : after puberty a Hindu girl does not stay long in her natal home.
natal 2 |ˈneɪdl| |ˈneɪt(ə)l|
adjective Anatomy
of or relating to the buttocks : the natal cleft.
Actually Natal is a city in Brazil. The person heading up the project is from there. And its pronounced "nuh-tall" Though the mistake is understandable if you didn't hear the keynote announcement.
Warrrriors!!!!--come out and ppplllaaayyyyyyy!!!!!Warrrriors!!!!--come out and ppplllaaayyyyyyy!!!!!
Hy Engadget!
A "gesture tracking system", which is able to recognize a left to right motion to switch your channels, is not the same as a "full body movement tracking system", which is able to distinguish your body parts and can tell your eye blinking from a single finger move.
Thank you very much
i think this man is trying to choke or scare someone! he is so... sick
This will clarify some recent discussions surrounding GestureTek in the 3D space. GestureTek is the inventor, pioneer and world leader in video gesture control technology for both 2D and 3D cameras. Our software works with 3DV, Mesa, Prime Sense, Canesta and other 3D depth cameras. For more than 20 years, we have been creating 3D tracking technology and evangelizing video gesture control as the next step in computer human interaction. With more than 4000 public installations worldwide, we have a robust library of video gesture control technologies, applications and patents. GestureTek has licensed these patents and technologies in various ways to a multitude of consumer electronics providers, including for PlayStation, Xbox 360, Hasbro and others. GestureTek is proud of the trail we’ve blazed in the area of 3D depth tracking and control and our current leading position in the market today.
Here’s more on GestureTek’s 3D tracking and control software: http://www.gesturetek.com/3ddepth/introduction.php .
Here are some more examples of work that GestureTek was showing prior to Natal and this week’s explosion of interest in gesture control games at E3:
- Beijing Olympics Flight Simulator http://www.gesturetek.com/3ddepth/businesscases/3dexplorer.php
- Two-Handed Control Driving Demo http://www.gesturetek.com/newscenter/media.php?media=58
- Rock em Sock em Robots http://www.gesturetek.com/3ddepth/introduction.php.
Our software is also being used in a 3D tracking interactive digital signage campaign for telecom giant Sprint.
Another poorly researched Engadget story... This "brochure" was nearly the entirety of the 3DV website back when they showed at CES. Way to take an interest.