Johnny Chung Lee joins Project Natal team, puts Wii hacking experience to good use
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Jun 12th 2009 11:04AM
posted Jun 12th 2009 11:04AM
In this time of economic hardship, it warms the heart just to hear that someone's found any job. But when our main man Johnny Chung Lee lands a position on Microsoft's Project Natal team, it's high fives and handshakes all around. And really, it's a perfect fit -- among the many hacks of his illustrious career, he's put together a VR head tracker (and utilized it in a first-person shooter) for the Wii game console. Apparently, Lee's part of the group that is taking the tech we saw at E3 and getting it ready for prime time. As you'd expect, the man is pretty stoked to have landed his dream job. "The 3D sensor itself is a pretty incredible piece of equipment, he says, "similar to very expensive laser range finding systems but at a tiny fraction of the cost." Congratulations, Johnny! If you should feel the need to leak any product pics, you have our email address.
[Via Joystiq]
[Via Joystiq]
Awesome. He deserves it!
Already now, just make use of multi-senor
Hiro ?!?!
Bobby Lee!
I was very impressed by his Wii hack. I'm also very happy that MSFT keeps in touch with the community and recognizes people like this. Congrats!
Do you guys realize what this implies???
I'm sure everyone has seen Johnny's awesome head tracking "hack", giving the illusion of 3D objects on your TV.
Combine this with Project Natals "no goofy IR reflector glasses required" technology and well be slaying 3D zombies in Left 4 Dead 6!
I'm WAAYY too excited... I almost just pooped myself.
Agreed. The VR head tracker was trippy!
I'm going to need a bigger living room for the multi-player madness that will come from this ..
Awful, he doesn't deserve this punishment, now we a. won't have free new ideas and stuff and b. they will turn him into a MS drone who will be useless.
I don't get people like him agreeing to it, I would not sign up with MS (or apple etcetera) under any circumstances.
Then your potential is limited. When you're researching developing hardware, you need support ($$$), which most people can't afford.
I wouldn't join Apple either, though.
Johnny has been working at Microsoft in their Applied Sciences group since he graduated from Carnegie Mellon University. Some of the stuff you've seen from him was created while he was at Microsoft. Do not be alarmed.
Congrats!
I am so unbelievably excited for Natal, and I hope it is a huge success. As a hardcore PC gamer, I've seldom considered owning a console -- except for the venerable N64.
The success of this technology, including great implementation in AAA games, would make buy an Xbox in a heartbeat.
Since its an MS product, I'm hoping it makes its way to the PC as well. If I can push Crysis on high at 2560x1600, I think I can handle a little motion sensing :)
Hell, even that simple "breakout" game looks like it would be a blast.
Jimmy Fallon was giddy like a school girl.
Until you get beat by someone so fat he covers the screen. WHAT NOW, PUNK!
@PCIV
Hahahahahah
"Unfair advantage. Get back to using Wii Fit and then you can play breakout with us."
Damn... my fat friend is just going to be the goalie in NHL10 all of the time.
I hope they implement Chung's headtracking into a first person shooter. I already lean to look around corners in a game, not realizing that im not looking through a window. Imagine if I could just lean over and peek around a corner . . . . sick!
Yeah, I know I'm being an idiot but I find myself trying to peek around corners by moving my head around during FPS.
@ Tom and Jkswiss
You mean like this? (@ 0:38, 6:42, 7:10)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wXx3vMy_AQ
awesome!
Carnegie Mellon FTW.
...except in football
Tartans FTL
Congrats! He is indeed the man for this job. His hacks and mods of the wii controllers still impress me.
no kidding. This project looks incredible so far and and after seeing his work with the wiimote...I can't wait to see what wild things come out of this. I have to share jimmy fallons sentiment "i want this tomorrow"!
Can't wait to see what he will bring to the table for X360!
His name is Chung-Li ?
Congrats
Congratulations on that observation, Ru's Ho. (Ru must be an interesting pimp.)
Nonsense. I have it on good authority from various Engadget Project Natal Experts (who have never used it or seen it in person) that Natal couldn't work and is essentially vaporware except for 'rigged' demos. It's all a big Microsoft lie with the ultimate goal of...uh, lying to everybody.
Now those horrible people at Microsoft have done the cruelest thing ever - hired a guy to work on their fake project just so they can continue the charade that is project natal. Have they no shame??????
You keep thinking all those orange outfits are just coincidence then.
and don't forget this project single handedly sets race relations back 40 years because the natal is designed to not track black people. thereby barring them from using this fake project. damn you microsoft..damn you to hell!!
i though the same, its sound as vaporware.
Did anybody else think at first that this was the guy from Mad TV?
If he closes his eyes real tight, will that pause the game?
/Hiro FTW
Nissan Versa!!!
Holy shit. How big a buy did MS place with weblogs inc today?
Every site they have is popping with like 3 project Natal articles and the day just started!
News is news
Exactly! take TV for example, how much do those murderers pay news channels to broadcast there storys?!
Isn't that what he was asking?
*ducks*
that is amazing, good job kid.
His VR head tracker used "a pair of IR-equipped safety glasses". That will go quite nicely with the jumpsuits.
that probably explains why jimmy fallon had on jumpsuits when he playing with natal... probably the next biggest accessory the the 360 is jumpsuits in different styles!
That's awesome. Warms the old cockles :)
The potential for Natal just increased ten fold. I wasn't going to bother with it before, but it has now officially captured my interest. This dude is a freaking genius.
I really hope the job works out for him, whether Natal fails or succeeds. He is very creative and will be a great asset to any company that employs him.
Now he just needs it to do eye scanning, so that it *really* works like the Minority Report interface ...
"Bobby Lee!"
This is all well and good, but what about Johnny Gan?
Hiro from Heroes!
what an epic guy. congrats on the job and good luck.
we know you'll bring us some epic experiences in collaborating with xbox.
As much as I don't like Microsoft, i'm really happy for him and hope he enjoys himself.
chubby jackie chan?
Maybe he could create a robot woman while he's at it. (Or man?). I'd trade in all my PhD's for a lady.
Sorry, but no. It would be bad for evolution.
That's awesome. His work is great and seems like a really great guy - the demos he does are really great. All around thumbs up.
Nice to see a big company giving the deserved recognition to indie developers. Congrats Chung!
Nice!
Doesn't seem to be any better than Sony's EyeToy. I need to see more demos.
@ Tom and Jkswiss
You mean like this? (@ 0:38, 6:42, 7:10)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wXx3vMy_AQ
Chung Lee? The strongest woman in the world?
This guy looks like a fat Hiro from Heroes lol
it's not cool to judge people by their looks even if they fit into big and tall... this guy has got quite an accomplishment with human computer interactive interfaces.
Dude looks like he's staring at a cheesecake. NOM NOM!
Way to go, man!
$10 here says Engadget CAN'T get an interview with him! The challenge has been issued!
Congrats! That's awesome :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wXx3vMy_AQ + http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHX5nqVecMw = Virtual reality for u$s200 ?????????
Nintendo is officially screwed.
So, why didn't Nintendo want him?
Sorry just checking
Someone with his talent should not be wasted.
You guys realize he's been working at MS and on Natal for over a year now, don't you? This isn't new news.