Xbox 720 may have augmented reality capabilities
Rumors are circulating regarding the release of Microsoft’s highly anticipated Xbox 720, the next iteration of the company’s acclaimed gaming console. Though the console does not have an official name yet, some are speculating that the Xbox 720 could be released as early as 2013. Whatever the actual release date for the console is, it is expected to usher in a new era of gaming due to Microsoft’s ambitious plans with augmented reality.
Patent application showcases information concerning new console
The U.S. Patent and Trademark office published a patent application from Microsoft concerning what appears to be an augmented reality feature of the Xbox 720. The patent shows a diagram of a user playing a game using their body as a controller. The Kinect is shown in the diagram, along with what appears to be a small, TV-mounted depth camera and a gaming console. Though the diagram provides some visual context for the patent, the application itself suggests that the Xbox 720 will boast of augmented reality capabilities.
Documents present immersive gaming system
Microsoft has ambitious plans to introduce consumers to a new immersive gaming system. The patent application makes use to a variety of equipment that would be used in such a system, ranging from depth cameras to motion sensors (Kinect), as well a new console that is equipped with hardware capable of handling the demands of advanced augmented reality technology. The patent also suggests that the use of high-tech glasses may be necessary to accomplish the immersive feel of the system.
Xbox 720 details remain guarded
Microsoft has been careful to keep the details of the Xbox 720 a secret, as has Sony with its upcoming Playstation 4. This level of secrecy is common in the game industry, where competition is fierce and the release of too much information could result in the commercial failure of a new product. Information has, however, managed to make itself available through the company’s various patent applications.
