Johnny Chung Lee joins Project Natal team, puts Wii hacking experience to good use

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]

[superhobo @ Jun 12th 2009 11:08AM]

Awesome. He deserves it!

[Techie @ Jun 12th 2009 11:28AM]

Already now, just make use of multi-senor

[Joseph @ Jun 12th 2009 12:14PM]

Hiro ?!?!

[OneLove @ Jun 12th 2009 12:16PM]

Bobby Lee!

[VampireHunter Z @ Jun 12th 2009 12:31PM]

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!

[PHO @ Jun 12th 2009 3:30PM]

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.

[Walt @ Jun 12th 2009 6:12PM]

Agreed. The VR head tracker was trippy!

[hazard @ Jun 12th 2009 11:37PM]

I'm going to need a bigger living room for the multi-player madness that will come from this ..

[Wwhat @ Jun 14th 2009 1:05PM]

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.

[superhobo @ Jun 14th 2009 2:18PM]

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.

[Michael @ Jun 15th 2009 11:12AM]

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.

[Sisyphus @ Jun 12th 2009 11:14AM]

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 :)

[Sisyphus @ Jun 12th 2009 11:15AM]

Hell, even that simple "breakout" game looks like it would be a blast.

Jimmy Fallon was giddy like a school girl.

[PCIV @ Jun 12th 2009 11:21AM]

Until you get beat by someone so fat he covers the screen. WHAT NOW, PUNK!

[ash chapman @ Jun 12th 2009 11:23AM]

@PCIV

Hahahahahah

"Unfair advantage. Get back to using Wii Fit and then you can play breakout with us."

[Sisyphus @ Jun 12th 2009 11:24AM]

Damn... my fat friend is just going to be the goalie in NHL10 all of the time.

[Tom @ Jun 12th 2009 11:25AM]

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!

[Jkswiss @ Jun 12th 2009 11:27AM]

Yeah, I know I'm being an idiot but I find myself trying to peek around corners by moving my head around during FPS.

[Buenos ding dong diddly dias @ Jun 12th 2009 2:10PM]

@ Tom and Jkswiss
You mean like this? (@ 0:38, 6:42, 7:10)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wXx3vMy_AQ

[tym @ Jun 12th 2009 11:16AM]

awesome!

[youowemeadollar @ Jun 12th 2009 11:17AM]

Carnegie Mellon FTW.

[milkmage @ Jun 12th 2009 11:38AM]

...except in football

Tartans FTL

[fromagesfondus @ Jun 12th 2009 11:19AM]

Congrats! He is indeed the man for this job. His hacks and mods of the wii controllers still impress me.

[jibba jabba @ Jun 12th 2009 11:57AM]

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"!

[Andy @ Jun 12th 2009 11:21AM]

Can't wait to see what he will bring to the table for X360!

[rush0 @ Jun 12th 2009 11:23AM]

His name is Chung-Li ?
Congrats

[Prophet of the Light @ Jun 12th 2009 11:39AM]

Congratulations on that observation, Ru's Ho. (Ru must be an interesting pimp.)

[something clever @ Jun 12th 2009 11:27AM]

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??????

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 12th 2009 11:38AM]

You keep thinking all those orange outfits are just coincidence then.

[jibba jabba @ Jun 12th 2009 11:53AM]

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!!

[Magallanes @ Jun 12th 2009 1:11PM]

i though the same, its sound as vaporware.

[Sisyphus @ Jun 12th 2009 11:30AM]

Did anybody else think at first that this was the guy from Mad TV?

[decypher44 @ Jun 12th 2009 11:36AM]

If he closes his eyes real tight, will that pause the game?

/Hiro FTW

[xcrunk @ Jun 12th 2009 2:32PM]

Nissan Versa!!!

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 12th 2009 11:37AM]

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!

[NeoJew @ Jun 12th 2009 11:42AM]

News is news

[codeh87 @ Jun 12th 2009 11:51AM]

Exactly! take TV for example, how much do those murderers pay news channels to broadcast there storys?!

[Zune Claus @ Jun 12th 2009 1:59PM]

Isn't that what he was asking?
*ducks*

[Lostcase @ Jun 12th 2009 11:49AM]

that is amazing, good job kid.

[SteveJ @ Jun 12th 2009 11:54AM]

His VR head tracker used "a pair of IR-equipped safety glasses". That will go quite nicely with the jumpsuits.

[xconan @ Jun 12th 2009 11:18PM]

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!

[Rob @ Jun 12th 2009 12:19PM]

That's awesome. Warms the old cockles :)

[chefgon_ign @ Jun 12th 2009 12:13PM]

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.

[Kevin @ Jun 12th 2009 12:22PM]

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.

[Joe @ Jun 12th 2009 12:24PM]

Now he just needs it to do eye scanning, so that it *really* works like the Minority Report interface ...

[marc @ Jun 12th 2009 12:52PM]

"Bobby Lee!"

This is all well and good, but what about Johnny Gan?

[TRS @ Jun 12th 2009 1:02PM]

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.

[Nick @ Jun 13th 2009 4:20PM]

As much as I don't like Microsoft, i'm really happy for him and hope he enjoys himself.

[va jj @ Jun 12th 2009 1:20PM]

chubby jackie chan?

[Frankfurter @ Jun 12th 2009 1:21PM]

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.