Microsoft's RoomAlive XBox tech : "RoomAlive" projects the video game's environment all around your room, and requires that you interact with these elements

Microsoft's RoomAlive XBox tech :  "RoomAlive" projects the video game's environment all around your room, and requires that you interact with these elements

For most of us, the thought of a room coming alive is the stuff of nightmares. But for Microsoft Research, it's all in a day's work. The software giant's research division this week showed off RoomAlive, an immersive gaming experience that turns your surroundings into the game. It's reminiscent of last year's IllumiRoom, which used a Kinect sensor and projector to extend the gaming experience beyond the confines of the TV. This time around, Room Alive doesn't require a TV, and instead relies on the Kinect and a multi-projector system affixed to the ceiling.

Once implemented, gamers no longer sit on the couch and interact via controllers. "It's virtual reality that's shared, and it's adaptive to your environment, so if you throw a ball around, it should bounce on your table," said Microsoft researcher Hrvoje Benko. The team is still working on sounds, but ideally, an item should sound different when bouncing off the carpet versus the floor, he said.

Room Alive uses multiple projector-camera units (procams) that include a depth camera, a wide-field-of-view projector, and a computer. Together, they can cover an entire room or focus on one corner. "Users can touch, shoot, stomp, dodge and steer projected content that seamlessly co-exists with their existing physical environment," Microsoft said.

The technology will be presented at this week's Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology. But at this point, it's still just a proof-of-concept prototype. Microsoft has four experiences it's testing out including the aforementioned whack-a-mole game, a Holodeck, and an indoor factory. Room Alive can also make the floor look like a running river or like it's covered in virtual critters.

 

 

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