When the majority of us think about Kinect, we think about shouting “Xbox, Play” to get our Netflix movie rolling or we picture ourselves waddling around the living room trying to get our groove on with games like Dance Central. If we step outside the world of gaming, we can see how the Kinect for Windows SDK can be used in retail. To help us imagine the world for Kinect outside of gaming, Microsoft has released a video showcasing how the high tech accessory can be used in various retail scenarios.
The first video showcases a woman shopping in a clothing store, and then stopping in front of a “fashion mirror”. The mirror is, of course, a display that is able to overlay digital images on real world imagery creating an augmented reality experience for the shopper.
The woman is able to try on various pieces of clothing digitally and see how they appear. Simple voice commands can switch between browsing pants or skirts – the flick of a wrist allows the woman to fly through various designs and prints. The software on the “fashion mirror” is also able to handle physics as the woman twirls and the dress responds by gently moving in a realistic fashion.
Two other videos were also produced by the Kinect for Windows team. One of the two videos showcases a customer playing a winter themed game at a Ski shop, and then receiving a coupon on her Windows Phone for completion. The second, showcases Kinect being used within a toy store. A boy picks up a hot wheels toy, Kinect scans it, and the child is then able to race with it in a virtual game.
Kinect has many uses beyond being attached to an Xbox and being used for gaming. Microsoft has stated that a collection of companies have already “created exciting retail experiences” including Bloomingdales, Build-a-Bear, Coca-Cola, Mattel, Nissan, and Pepsi.
What do you think of shopping with Kinect – do you have any great ideas for using Kinect within a retail environment?
Source: Microsoft
