Video Analytics in the Gaming Industry

So, as promised, we are back again. A quick recap of last week's post before we dive into this week's exciting update. Last week we spoke about what Video Analytics is, how it works and some usages it can be applied to.  If you didn’t read it, we recommend you spend 2 mins looking at the last post. In summary, Video Analytics is the usage of software to analyze video footage, and then applying this to many interesting areas!

Right, so what do you have for us this week then?

 

This week we shall look at the application of Video Analytics in the Gaming industry. Take a quick look at your Wii, or XBOX for example. You've been using it all the time, even though you might not have realised it. We hope this post captures your interest, demonstrates the awesome potential of this technology and gets you hooked to this blog!

We super geeks of the Majo Club have been playing games for a very long time now. From the Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES, to Goldeneye on the N64, and now Call of Duty on the Xbox 360; you name it, we've played it. However a new “revolution” started a few years ago, initially with the Nintendo Wii (2006), and now with the Xbox Kinect (2010).  These consoles/additions/plug-ins use motion sensor devices to detect movement from the player or controller. So you might wonder how it works?

The Wii, and also the Kinect, detects player’s movements via a camera and with the help of clever software, analyses these movements, and translates them into inputs for the game/platform you are playing on. This is bread and butter Video Analytics and might help you imagine the plethora of other applications that this simple, yet sophisticated, technology could be applied to.

Sounds fancy. Did it work at all?

 "Guinness World Records has officially named Kinect the fastest selling consumer electronics device. The peripheral sold an average of 133,333 units per day - a total of 8 million units - in its first 60 days on shelves, between 4 November 2010 and 3 January 2011." - http://www.computerandvideogames.com

So, in short, yes. Movies from the 90s and 2000s might show virtual reality as the future of video gaming. The Kinects and the Wiis have so far proved otherwise and shown that they have a firm grip on the gaming market and the future direction of gaming looks set to be headed this way. The Video Analytics way. 

I'm still a bit sceptical. Any drawbacks?

Other than putting the good old PC gaming industry out of business, and sending some of the major games developers like EA Sports and Activision back to the blackboard - none. 

Well, except maybe one. Even though Video Anlaytics seems to have a firm grip on the future of the  industry, consumers seem to be having a harder "grip" while playing these games. This video can help demonstrate what we mean....

Well, this is really funny and exciting! Tell me more....

We are out of space and out of time for this week, but next week we promise to bring you another exciting application that shows the wonders of this technology. Till then, you can browse this link for some more serious usages of the technology....