Sony Files Patent On "Any-Object" Motion Control 69
Oracle Goddess writes "Sony filed a patent for a system where a camera can dynamically map any real world object for use in a video game. The patent states that the objects 'include items such as coffee mugs, drinking glasses, books, bottles, etc.' While these are given as examples, the object mapping system is not limited to those objects; it can identify any three dimensional object. The system looks similar to Microsoft's Project Natal, but instead of driving with an imaginary steering wheel, players can use an everyday item like a plate. Although this may seem a bit silly at first, the eventual uses for such a system could be wide-ranging and lead to novel and useful controllers for all sorts of systems and applications."
Re:Not even oxiclean (Score:4, Informative)
The patent covers the method for detecting and tracking the object. It has nothing to do with patenting the object itself. I see no reason there would be any legal issue with using a Wiimote as a visually-tracked controller – although I'm quite sure that none of the buttons would work, since it's basically just tracking the movement of the rectangular white object.
Already Available: CamSpace (Score:4, Informative)
you can download camspace and use your webcam to track objects and control games right now:
http://www.camspace.com/ [camspace.com]
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Patent number? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:What is Japanese for... (Score:3, Informative)
Hmmm that was easier to find than I thought. It's called camspace. http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/16/1326238 [slashdot.org] and http://www.camspace.com/ [camspace.com] are the relevant links. Apparently a mac version is in the works as well.