In January at CES 2013, Eric Rudder, Microsoft’s chief technology strategy officer, unveiled the IllumiRoom—a new Kinect driven device for use with next generation gaming consoles. This proof-of-concept project being developed by Microsoft Research “augments the area surrounding a television screen with projected visualizations to enhance the traditional living room entertainment experience.”
Pairing a Kinect for Windows with a projector allows for enhanced gameplay experiences by extending the screen beyond the TV. Unlike previous technology, such as Focus+Context screens, the IllumiRoom can be used in any type of living room setup.
While sitting on a coffee table, the self-calibrating Kinect will map out the user’s living room by detecting the placement of the TV, stationary objects, and colors in the environment. This allows the projector to “change the appearance of the room, induce apparent motion, extend the field of view, and enable entirely new game experiences.” Microsoft Research released the video below to demonstrate what the IllumiRoom can do.
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