Post 42: Kinect Hack

The other day in class, Professor Baldwin brought in a Kinect and showed us some Youtube videos displaying all the possibilities that can be achieved through hacking the device. Yeah the videos were cool and the hacks interesting but I didn't really see anything practical that could be of any use. A device such as the Kinect can truly have limitless possibilities and applications. I personally would love see it used for schooling. Today we have online courses, although great, few classes are offered and too often it is simply a professor lecturing into a web cam; big deal. With the Kinect, i would love to see a totally immersive classroom environment. Using the facial recognition features and avatar creations, students as well as teachers can enter a virtual classroom setting and interact with one another from their own homes. No more rushing to get up for school, commuting in traffic or bad weather and no more sitting around in boring, white walled classrooms. In the comfort of your home, you can use the kinect to capture your movements, so raising your hand could get the teachers attention and he/she can answer your question. Teachers can take attendance and become more familiar with the students, getting to know their "faces" via their avatars. This allows for the basic idea of online classes to remain present however it does not get rid of the human-human interaction found in traditional school settings. I know I would definitely invest in this idea. The cost of schooling would decrease tremendously, commuters would not only save money on gas but wear and tear on their vehicles, and those who dorm can spend their money eleswhere and avoid living with 2 or 3 other strangers in a cramped dormroom.