JohnnyChungLee
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Kinect enabled head-tracking previewed in Forza 4 spotlight video, turns heads (video)
Ever since Johnny Chung Lee was snatched up by Microsoft's Project Natal team to work on Kinect, we've been curious to see how his Wii head-tracking skills would come to fruition on the device. This week, an Inside Xbox episode shows us how it will work with Forza 4, and the Kinect enabled head-tracking appears to run fairly smoothly compared to others we've seen (just try getting similar results on Gran Turismo 5 with a PlayStation Eye). There's no word about other titles planning to make use of this new feature, but we'll surely find out more while we're at E3 next week, and possibly get some hands heads-on time while we're at it.
Johnny Chung Lee makes DIY telepresence bot out of an iRobot Create and a netbook
Most of us don't have $15,000 to drop on an Anybot, even though having one around would be nice in the event we don't feel like leaving the house to get some coffee. To help those of us with more humble means, our old friend Johnny Chung Lee (of Wiimote hacking and Kinect dev team fame) has utilized his prodigious DIY talents to create a video chat robot for the relatively paltry sum of $500. Using an iRobot Create ($250), a netbook with Skype ($250), a cable to connect the two, and some control software he wrote himself, Mr. Lee built a digital surrogate on the cheap. Johnny isn't the first person to so leverage iRobot's hacking platform, but he added a stand on top of the robot to get the PC closer to human height, attached a fish-eye lens to the webcam for better remote viewing, and even did some re-wiring to allow the netbook to charge via the Create's base station. The code and how-to instructions are up on his blog, so hit the source link if you're feeling up to making one yourself. Seems like Johnny Lee's putting that Google 20 percent time to good use thus far -- keep 'em coming. Check the video of this latest creation after the break.
The (geek) decision: Kinect developer Johnny Chung Lee leaves Microsoft for Google
After spending the last two and a half years helping Microsoft develop Kinect (and spending countless hours hacking Wiimotes before that), the illustrious Johnny Chung Lee has decided to take his talents to Mountain View and work for Google. Mr. Lee didn't say exactly what he'll be doing for Google, but we do know that he's joining a special projects team, and his title is "Rapid Evaluator." It's curious that Johnny has seemingly left his gaming roots to work for the search giant, but regardless we look forward to seeing what he's up to at El Goog and wish him the best in his new job. Here's hoping his new duties won't quell his penchant for at-home tinkering.
Winscape virtual window features Wiimote headtracking, absolutely made of win
We have not modified the above picture in any way -- Scout's Honor. That's a real baby, wearing a real IR necklace that interacts with a real Wiimote. What's not real, of course, is the view of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. That is generated by Ryan Hoagland's DIY virtual window, a brilliant pastiche of interior design, RED ONE footage and Johnny Chung Lee-style headtracking, all directed to your eyes by a Mac Pro feeding a pair of plasma screens. As the viewer moves around, dual 1080p images move the opposite direction, providing the convincing illusion of looking out a real pane of glass at the incredibly detailed scenery beyond. Exciting? Then you'll be giggling like Jr. when you hear it's for sale. After spending a year figuring out how to mount, drive and cool the whole shebang, Hoagland would like you to have one too; he plans to have basic kits ready by July for under $3000. Watch baby-powered plasma in motion after the break, as well as a sweet time-lapse video of the build process. [Thanks, Andy, ArjanD]
Apple applies for head tracking patent, Johnny Chung Lee says 'you're welcome'
Pablo Picasso is quoted as saying, "good artists copy and great artists steal." Good thing the quoter was Steve Jobs then, because the latest Apple patent application to go public looks very much like something Johnny Chung Lee pieced together with a Wiimote way back in 2007. Filed for in June 2008, the new patent is for a system tracking the location of the user's head and responding to his movements in a fashion that should generate a realistic three-dimensional viewing experience sans those pesky glasses. We've got video of Johnny's setup after the break, and as he himself describes it, the idea behind a "desktop VR" is to unbound imagery from the screen surface and to make your monitor or TV act like a window unto whatever is being displayed. That means Apple will need a new branding scheme should this application turn into a real product -- iWindow just might be the least likely product name in the history of consumer electronics.
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]
Wiimote head tracking meets First Person Shooter: die Marshies, die
Remember Johnny Chung Lee's self-made VR head-tracking system cobbled together from a Wiimote and IR-equipped safety glasses? Good, because it's now one step closer to its destiny as the ultimate controller for a first person, Wii shooter. The video experience in a 3D wireframed world does look admittedly rough, but the idea is sound: step forward to move forward, to the sides to turn, and jump to (you guessed it) jump. Fortunately, with Nintendo's WiiWare service now live in Japan, maybe, just maybe someone will see the potential and commercialize this. Watch the Insight VR people hunt down the evil Marshies after the break.[Via Make and Hack A Day]
Get your head in the game with Wii remote VR display
While other people use the Wii for its intended purposes (playing party games and bludgeoning loved ones), Johnny Chung Lee sees its true potential. You might remember him as the guy who used a Wiimote to set up a Minority Report-esque finger tracking system, or the one who used the same peripheral to turn any surface into an an incredible multi-touch interactive whiteboard. Further proving that Lee is a reverse engineer from the future, his newest video shows what might just be the next big thing in gaming -- immersive virtual reality displays using, you guessed it, a Wii remote. While this may conjure up bad memories of massive, plasticky helmets and unresponsive controls, Lee's method seems extremely functional, and only requires you to wear a pair of LED-infused safety glasses (which for all we know is the hip style in the futureworld Lee comes from). Seriously, how 'bout it, Nintendo? (Thanks, Rich.)
DIY head-tracker takes Wiimote hacking to dizzying new heights
DIY virtuoso Johnny Chung Lee has already more than proven himself with his Wiimote whiteboard and finger-tracking hacks (to say nothing of the famous $14 steadycam), but he now looks to have vaulted himself into a whole new league with his latest project, which uses a Wiimote for a full-on VR head-tracking system. As with his other recent hacks, the Wiimote and a sensor bar substitute swap their usual positions, with a pair of IR-equipped safety glasses stylishly getting the job done in this case. Toss in some custom-made software (available at the link below) and you've got a setup that's sure to make anyone's jaw drop. Whatever you do, be sure to hit up the video after the break (and watch 'till the end), as the image above certainly doesn't do it justice. [Via Hack a Day]
