Electromagnetic Fields Offer Next Big Controller Gimmick

Earnest Cavalli

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Electromagnetic Fields Offer Next Big Controller Gimmick



Though it only recently launched Kinect, Microsoft is already working toward the next evolution in gaming control: electromagnetism.

Look around you. It doesn't really matter whether you're at home or at work, as either place will almost definitely be covered in electrical outlets, light fixtures, computers, clocks and all kinds of other gadgets. Outside the window there are probably electrical lines running up and down the street.

Thanks to all of these modern conveniences, almost every building in existence is covered in electromagnetic fields.

Seeking to exploit this, Microsoft's team of researchers has developed a device that detects a person's position in relation to these fields. By attaching the proper sensors to household electronics, the software giant hopes to make turning on a blender as simple as pointing to the machine from across the room.

Home automation is neat, but the really enticing application of this technology is in the researchers' proposed videogame integration. In theory at least, the system should be able to offer gamers a Kinect [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/previews/7892-Kinect-is-Actually-Fun]-like experience, in which interaction with the console is handled entirely with gestures, only without any need to stand in front of a camera. Instead of restricting your gameplay experience to a peripheral's field of vision, you'd suddenly have your entire home to interact with.

New Scientist also cites the possibilities this tech offers for integration into every day, real-world activities - even those that take place outdoors:

The system could even be used outside, since electromagentic radiation from power lines generates voltages that the sensor can track. If the sensor could communicate with an online library of gesture signatures, users could extract information from the environment. For example, the system could be used to send a text message with bus arrival times to any user that touched a certain part of a bus stop.

Of course, like Kinect (and Sony's Move system, and the Nintendo Wii, and any other non-standard control mechanism [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-UZv3AS-E] since the beginning of time), this new technology really doesn't signify anything until someone writes useful software for it. Tech demos are fun, but until I'm controlling a spaceship in Mass Effect 5 by pressing non-existent buttons virtually overlaid on my sleeping cat, cautious optimism is the most I can muster.

Source: New Scientist [http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2011/05/jim-giles-contributor-vancouve.html]



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Valate_v1legacy

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Oh my, my first thought was "wait, wouldn't that cause a Lorentz issue" my secont thought was "well that doesn't matter if they already have the device", and my third thought was "Hello indoor Parkour course!"
 

rsvp42

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Wow, if they can do this with a reasonable degree of accuracy, this is amazing. Then again, it reminds me of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the part talking about the radio or TV (been a while since I read it) where the user had to remain perfectly still to avoid changing the channel, lol.
 

joes

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You combine this with contact lens augmented reality and the whole world becomes the internet!
 

Veloxe

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Achievement unlocked, make sandwich.
Achievement unlocked, I can't let you do that Dave. (Attempt to turn on your blender 5 times before the software recognizes the gesture)

Give me a controller any day, I require physical response from my actions instead of just swatting at the air like a cat trying to catch a fly. Although the idea is interesting and I could certainly see it being used in a more commercial sense (home security/monitoring/spying/whatever).
 

Jabberwock xeno

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Cipher1 said:
Call me when you get the holo decks from star trek working.
Actually, you can shape plasma with elctromagentic fields, so it's one step closer to real life energy weapons.
 

Wicky_42

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That's a pretty cool idea, great for alternate reality games or something, and the whole home automation angle is pretty sweet too. Though of course, if it can track your every movement all the time... well, at the very least say good-bye to privacy!

Just like with the other new controller systems, I think the software's going to let the hardware's potential down, though.
 

TornadoFive

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This could have some interesting applications . . . but it'll probably be the same as Kinect. The big companies make some generic stuff that'll be interesting and pretty cool to start with but will soon become routine.

Then the modders come in and make some seriously cool stuff!
 

Omey

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It will be fun to see how Nintendo use this tech to create a revolutionary jumping simulator

...oh wait...that will be another Mario game
 

RatRace123

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Controlling a spaceship via cat sounds Awesome.
On the other side of that, one has to wonder how crappy developers would milk shovelware out of this one.
 

Canid117

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So they can track me anywhere in my home with this device? Yeah I'll just leave this one alone.
 

AwesomeFerret

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I couldn't stop laughing at this article. Just the way that their line of thinking is "Ok, we could make this revolutionize the home, but that doesn't matter. Let's think about how it can be integrated into video games." Thats just classic. Nice one Microsoft, nice one.

Also, I've been sent a message from the spirit world apparently via ReCaptcha, telling me to "find etiblin". Quick people, we must find this Etiblin! He/she may be in trouble!
 

manythings

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Cipher1 said:
Call me when you get the holo decks from star trek working.
Everyone will be too busy with their holodecks.

RatRace123 said:
Controlling a spaceship via cat sounds Awesome.
On the other side of that, one has to wonder how crappy developers would milk shovelware out of this one.
You'll be able to pet a new soulless pretend tigercub. They'll only need to just make all the Wii/Kinect stuff again.

OT: Already don't care. It'll only get interesting when someone creates a hack that does something more interesting than making me play games in a more difficult less immersive way.
 

DanDeFool

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Nikola Tesla would have dug this.

But yeah, I can see this as being MS's new 'Thing we developed for games, but is actually more useful in other applications'.

Good on them, I guess.
 

ScoopMeister

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RedEyesBlackGamer said:
Real world use: sweet!
Videogame use: Just let me use a damn controller.
I second this. It's pretty likely to just end up as another gimmicky money-making ploy in video games... People will buy it because it's new and it's there, and it will be overpriced and the fun will wear out after the first week.
However, in real life, this is a really interesting idea with loads of potential uses. :)
 

T-Bone24

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That sounds badass, but what if just walking around your house and swinging your arms, would that not cause devices to randomly switch on and off around you like an angry technomancer?

Again, that sounds badass, maybe my dreams of being able to say "TV ON" will come true.

EDIT: Wait, this technology turns everyone into a technomancer! Sweet!

[sub]I just like saying "technomancer".[/sub]