From Tennis for Two to the latest high graphics games and high end technology, the gaming industry has certainly come a long way. The effects coming with today’s games are certainly superb, though gamers do know that what they see is not real. That may not be the case if you are playing a game on Inition’s Vertigo Simulator, which takes you to a virtual world made very real by the Oculus Rift and Microsoft Kinect.

As you can see in the image above, they provide everything to make your experience as real as possible. The game requires you to walk on a ledge placed 300 feet above the ground between two buildings, when you will be actually walking on that red strip.

The sound is provided by the headphones, the graphics are cool enough to make your brain feel that everything’s real, and there’s the Kinect, which tracks your motion, to add to the effect. And there are fans, which are not for keeping the players cool, but to provide wind effects.

From the looks of things, the whole experience is pretty awesome. And if it’s a safe environment in the real world, anybody can try it.

The Wizdish seems to be more appropriate when it comes to safety. It also combines the Kinect and the Oculus Rift, but you can walk on the slippery dish (requires a bit of training) wearing special shoes. And as you can see, players won’t have worry about falling down on the ground.

But if it’s a frightening experience players are looking for, there is Animazoo’s IGS Glove. It uses inertial gyros to track the motion of hands and fingers. So there is no need for cameras. The glove will give users a virtual reality experience of having their hands cut off by a guillotine.

Although most people won’t find falling 300 feet or having their hands sliced very amusing even in the virtual world, the technology which is enabling these effects is what’s important. The experience which will be available via the combination of technology such as the Wizdish, Kinect, IGS Glove and Oculus Rift will be phenomenally awesome. Gaming is most probably going to reach a new level if everything you see above is perfected.

So, are you excited about all this, could true virtual reality experiences finally be close at hand?

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A 2012 study done by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests that an average of 38 small children die each year in the US alone, due to heatstroke after being left unattended inside a hot parked car. There are some systems to prevent this problem, but three engineering undergrads from Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University have come out with a unique solution.

Anshul Mehra, Yejin Kim and Jeffrey Kamei (seen in the above image from left to right) have turned the Microsoft Kinect into a safety system. It will utilize the Kinect’s ability to detect even the smallest movements, like those of a sleeping baby.

After more development the final product could be built into a car and would become active once the car is parked. If the temperature inside the vehicle rises above a limit with an occupant in it, the system could make sounds or notify the police or a service such as OnStar. And since the window glass blocks infrared light, the system will not detect movements outside the vehicle.

But, of course, if the parents are a bit more careful, they won’t have to rely on technology to look after their children. Yet, since some people are fond of learning things the very hard way, incorporating such a system into future cars could be the only way to save a lot of lives.

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We’ve heard all sorts of rumors about the supposed specs on the next Xbox, but that’s on the hardware side of things. On the software side of things, it seems that Microsoft wants to make an even bigger push for the “Xbox 720″ to be the focal point of your living room. It’s not just about games. It’s a full-on multimedia and web-connected hub, getting you to watch Netflix and Hulu, search for information on Bing, and yes play multimedia games via Kinect.

Word on the street is that the Xbox 720 can be in sleep mode and you turn it back on with a simple “Xbox on” voice command. You can use the natural language processing to check on what your friends are currently playing or continue watching a movie that you paused yesterday. The Kinect sensor can also detect when there are multiple people in the room, suggesting fun multiplayer games for those situations and more solo games when it only detects one person in the room.

I’ve seen voice-based user interfaces on certain smart televisions these last couple of years and they all make me reach for the traditional remote instead. I’m not sure how different Microsoft can be on that front–I never use the voice commands on my Kinect–but perhaps this “Siri-like” experience will finally be what we wanted it to be in the beginning. In either case, the new Xbox is expected to make its debut at GDC or E3 with a launch in time for the 2013 holiday shopping season. Now we just have to see what Sony has up its home console sleeve.

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When it comes to physical therapy for children with motor skill impairments, the tools available right now are helpful but also are somewhat limited.

Georgia Tech’s Human Automation Systems Lab is looking to change that by making a tool that has thus far shown great results.  It consists of two items already in a large amount of homes, Microsoft Kinect and a display of some sort.  This new system, dubbed the SuperPop Project, is especially helpful with children with cerebral palsy.  This system, which the kids see as a game, actually helps build their upper arm motor function.

SuperPop is totally customizable by the therapist and tailored for each individual child.  While the child plays, the software will track the user’s joints and collect the data for later analyzing for progress.

This system could turn out to be revolutionary in the world of therapy and could do wonders for the general well being of the patients.

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In order to better demonstration some of the future technology that might eventually find their way in to Toyota vehicles, the company has unveiled a very unique concept skateboard that utilizes a Microsoft Kinect motion sensing camera an Windows 8 tablet.

The skateboard uses the camera and tablet to control the speed of the motorized skateboard using nothing but hand gestures and other movements in front of the Kinect.

Toyota is also working with Microsoft’s skeletal tracking technology right now so that they can track the position of people and their movements while in a vehicle, which should allow them to create better safety systems that understand and know the positioning of the passengers.

Both the skateboard and the skeletal tracking efforts are part of a Microsoft and Toyota partnership to figure out innovative ways to use Kinect and Windows technology in the automotive industry. While moving your hands around a camera to move a car might not sound like a great idea at this point, these kinds of tests and experiments could lead to major advancements down the road.

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What does strange arm flailing sound like? Generally nothing more than “whooshing” noises, that is unless you happen to be one of the lucky few who have used (and are part of) the V Motion Project. This unique body music system allows its users to wave their arms around and through their patterns actually make unique noises, music and imagery.

The whole process comes together using a Microsoft Kinect camera and modified software that allows a musician to control Ableton Live using their arms and legs. Normally Ableton is a software program used by Djs to make music and requires a physical interface with knobs and buttons, but the V Motion Project sets you free from that limitation. Can you imagine what something like this could do for the future of performance art and music? While right now its just a unique project, it is a really cool idea with tons of future potential from use by artists, musicians and even perhaps gamers via a Kinect-like game someday.

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The next generation Xbox (Xbox 720 maybe) codenamed Durango is expected to be an impressive gaming console. The latest rumors suggest that the machine is going to be a powerhouse, but will also be a big blow to the used games market.

According to VG247, Microsoft is planning to release the Xbox 360 successor during Christmas 2013, which is also rumored to be the launch timing for the PlayStation 4/Orbis, and the new console will feature either four or six core processors. It will also boast two GPUs that will be as fast as “two PCs taped together” and a built-in Kinect sensor.

The new rumor also suggests that the Durango will arrive with a Blu-ray drive. We are a bit doubtful about that info as we heard a lot of reports earlier that suggested the company was thinking about moving its content delivery to digital download only.

But what will be the most alarming info for many is that the Durango will require an internet connection at all times while it is being used. That move is most probably for combating used game sales. A mandatory internet connection could mean that there will be a requirement to authenticate discs and lock them to user accounts, and this would restrict the resale of games; if there are any discs that is.

But, of course, none of this should be taken without a pinch of salt. Do let us know whether you will be interested in the new Xbox if it comes with the above said features, and stay tuned for updates.

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It appears like the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds are getting thinner and thinner. Microsoft’s Applied Sciences team has shown off their prototype 3D desktop which allows you to interact with the objects on a transparent screen with something called “view-dependent, depth-corrected gaze”.

The team has been studying what things they can do with a transparent Samsung OLED screen and Microsoft’s Kinect technology, along with some special software. What they have come up with is a virtual desktop which can be manipulated with the hands in real-time.

As you will see in the video clip below, there is a keyboard behind the transparent screen which does the same job as your normal computer keyboard. But to interact with the desktop, instead of using a mouse, you just have to reach up and manipulate the virtual objects with your fingers. What makes this possible is the Kinect tech.

The Kinect sensors will track where your hand is and at the same time will also detect your head and eye position for delivering a 3D image with depth and perspective based on your position. But sometimes a short clip is better than a thousand words. So check out the video below and don’t forget to place your thoughts below.

Head here to stay updated about all the things from MWC 2012.

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Tired of burning soles on the road for a ride on your skateboard? The ZBoard, claims to be the “world’s first weight-sensing electric skateboard”, and it will save your shoes by letting your weight do the work.

In a world filled with motorized stuff, the ZBoard is really nothing new. You might not have forgotten all the previously introduced motorized skateboards such as the “Board of Awesomeness” which boasts a Kinect-based sensor system, and the remotely controllable Fiik and the Metroboard. What’s new from the ZBoard is the weight-sensor system.

The ZBoard provides up to 400 watts of motor power and features two foot pads that are connected to a micro-controller on the motor. All you have to do is lean forward to put pressure on its front foot pad for taking off. Put you weight on the rear foot pad and the board brakes. If you are headed downhill, the board will automatically reduce your speed and the ZBoard can be stopped even if you are on a hill.

They are offering two versions at the moment, the ZBoard Classic (5 miles of range) and ZBoard Pro (10 miles). The Classic (retails for $599) promises a top speed of 15 mph, while the Pro ($849), which comes equipped with lithium-ion batteries, can go up to 17 mph. And the company says that the tires will do well off-road, but they encourage you to stick to smooth surfaces. Their special pre-order offer, available until March 15, will let you save $100 on both.

But pro skateboarders might argue that motorization will take the fun out of skateboarding. And we don’t think too many stunts are possible on the ZBoard.

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On display at the Toy Fair 2012 in New York, TheO is a foam ball that can house your iPod, iPhone, or Android device. It’s about the size of a standard soccer ball and they say that once your device is inside, it’s virtually indestructible. You then load up a compatible app, sync up your phone with a secondary display (like a Smart TV) and have at ‘er. Just bear in mind that the slot won’t fit larger Android phones, so don’t even think about stuffing the Galaxy Nexus or Galaxy Note in there.

One prime example is the bowling app where you quite literally roll the ball, with phone and all, down your hallway or toward your HDTV. They also have a digital hot potato game and a “socially interactive game” that comes bundled with TheO. Personally, I think this is a terrible idea. We already have the Wii and Kinect for this kind of thing, and neither of those require me to put my $600 smartphone potentially in harm’s way.

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