Kinect (Sort Of) Hacked Into a Real-Time X-Ray

[John Funk]

Kinect (Sort Of) Hacked Into a Real-Time X-Ray

​

Microsoft's Kinect might not actually be able to peer inside your body and show you your skeleton, but thanks to this clever hack you'd never know it.

It's important to remember that Kinect is just a camera; it may be able to project mystical star fields on your living room [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105046-Kinect-Plus-Night-Vision-Goggles-Equals-Crazy-Headtrip] but it can't see inside your flesh. So when you look at this Kinect "magic mirror" hack seen here to the right, and think "Oh crap, it's showing that dude's skeleton!" that isn't actually what's going on.

Instead, this hack - developed by researchers at the Technical University of Munich - is merely overlaying the image of some anonymous subject's CAT scan on what it detects as the human body. Nor is it completely perfect (it seems that the shoulders are low); that doesn't make it any less eerily cool.

We've seen a lot of nifty-looking Kinect hacks by now, and many of them look more creative than the games that are actually out for the peripheral. This may be one of my favorite thus far.

I'm left wondering, though: Where are all the sweet-looking Move hacks? Does it have something to do with the removal of the "Other OS" option [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/99499-Sony-Removes-Other-OS-Option-for-PS3] or what?

(Joystiq [http://kinecthacks.net/augmented-reality-magic-mirror-using-the-kinect/])

Permalink

 

[Huddo]

Wow... that's actually really cool and interesting. It's a shame that the hacker didn't program a skull into the 'X-Ray'. Now that would have been a sight to see.
It is slightly disappointing that you can't actually view a 'real' skeleton, but what they've done with this still shows promise.

On a related note: I want it, I want it, I want it!

I guess that we never thought Kinect would have so much undiscovered potential!
What's next, A telescope? A barcode reader? Security camera technology? MRI scanner? The possibilities are endless thanks to hackers!

 

[Kenjitsuka]

A funny application of Kinect

 

[Chamale]

Can these hacks be downloaded somewhere, or do people just upload videos of them to show off?

 

[Quaxar]

I came to this topic because I was promised X-rays. Where are they now?

But yeah, this is pretty sweet. I'm astonished how much a device that sucks for proper gaming can do outside of its planned environment.

 

[Impluse_101]

I wonder if Extra Credits would comment on this.

I think its awesome what the "GOOD" stuff is going on with kinect.

 

[BabyRaptor]

That actually has some real potential. I approve.

 

[pokepuke]

I like how the article title lied to me.

 

[darkszero]

Where are all the sweet-looking Move hacks?

I think it has something to do that having a camera that tracks the whole person is more interesting for hacks than having a camera that tracks a tool.

 

[METC]

I'm left wondering, though: Where are all the sweet-looking Move hacks?

Chances are that programming games for Xbox is very similar to programming systems for Windows, thus making hacking any subsequent peripherals much easier, since it only requires a translation of knowledge. However, with the master key for the PS3 finally released, chances are that we will soon be seeing many more hacks of the Move and of the PS3, once those skills are acquired.

 

[josemlopes]

This is way cooler (and usefull)
Great way to make mods and machinima videos