In 2010, the first-generation Kinect was introduced by Microsoft. It is a motion-sensing input device that enables user to control and interact with their Xbox 360 and Xbox One consoles without the need for a gamepad. This device features multi-array microphone running proprietary software, depth sensor and RGB camera, which provide full-body 3D motion capture, along with voice recognition and facial recognition capabilities. The second generation Kinect based on the same core technology as Kinect for Xbox was released for Windows in 2014, and it included a new sensor.
Since the introduction of Kinect for Xbox One, you now have the option of “Xbox Fitness,” where you can work out right from your home with famous trainers who can give you personalised feedbacks. You can also choose from a variety of workouts such as cardio, Tai Chi, Zumba and Sports Training. With Kinect, you can optimize each of your workouts, which can provide you immediate feedback on your heart rate, power and current form; other features with Kinect include Pulse, Energy Meter and Muscle Mapping. There are also various fitness games that you can choose from with Kinect for Xbox 360 such as “Nike + Kinect Training,” “Kung Fu High Impact,” “NBA Baller Beats,” “Dance Central 3,” “Zumba Fitness Core,” “Just Dance 4,” “The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout” and many more.
It might sound like a far-fetched ide, but if we can play casino games on gaming consoles like Xbox 360 and Xbox One, why not Kinect? The era that we live in is forever evolving, and at a very fast pace too. We reckon that it won’t take long before this innovation is adopted by leading online casinos such as Spin and Win to offer games such as virtual slot machine where players would be able to play on a more realistic platform. With Windows 10 “holograms,” you would be able to walk inside a virtual casino where they only require you to pull the lever of the three-dimensional slot machine using gestures for it to spin. This will definitely bring online casino gaming to a next level, which goes beyond virtual reality. Knowing how Spin and Win is constantly applying the latest technology trends on its platform to give a superior gaming experience, it won’t be a surprise if we see such a gaming innovation in the near future coming from their end.
We have come a long way since the introduction of the first generation digital video game consoles in 1972 with the Magnavox Odyssey. In the first few generations of video games, not much physical movement was required to interact with the game, apart from the movement of fingers on the gamepad to press the buttons. Gaming consoles experienced a major innovation in the year 2006 when the Nintendo Wii was introduced along with its Wii Remote controller (a handheld pointing device which can detect motion in 3D). Its controller uses a combination of built-in accelerometers and infrared detection to sense its position in three dimensions. A few years earlier, this was considered cutting edge gaming technology, and at that time, we could hardly think of any further innovation in online gaming.
But as you can notice, three-dimensional gaming approach is perhaps going to be the next big step when it comes to online gaming. Soon, you may be practicing your favorite sports in your virtual gym or playing your preferred slots game on a three-dimensional machine.
