It never ceases to amaze me how imaginative people are being with Microsoft’s Kinect controller. Only last week I was running a workshop for a group of Microsoft MVPs on future product ideas when one group suggested using Kinect controllers in the homes of the elderly to report when they stop moving about (presumably sounding an alarm between 1 and 4 every afternoon!)
Now though Lithuanian based software company Etronika have devised a way to do your banking online using the Xbox 360 accessory.
ETRONIKA trot out future vision about internet banking by exhibiting personal finance management carried out at home, standing in front of TV screen, accomplishing bill payment or money transfer with hand gestures at international exhibition CTIA Enterprise & Applications 2011 which takes place in San Diego, also know as capital of Silicon Valley, USA.
To transfer money around all you need to do is stand in front of your Kinect, clap your hands and choose an icon, or wave your hand back and forth to switch between banking options. Presumably then you would pay a bill by falling to the floor crying!?
The application, developed by ETRONIKA, uses Kinect, Microsoft’s motion and voice sensing technology developed for its Xbox 360 games console. The interface has two rows of icons that spin left or right. Waving an arm to the left rotates the top row, and waving to the right rotates the bottom row. Users select an icon or confirm operation by bringing their hands together in front of them. User can also sent a copy of the bill to his phone.
The company says that Microsoft doesn’t currently allow commercial products to be released for the Kinect, though the Redmond giant has plans to release a commercial SDK in the future to encourage innovation like this.
In truth there are probably one or two minor issues with doing your banking in this way, beginning with people being able to see your account over your shoulder, perhaps logging in and transfering money in your place to buy that new coffee machine they’ve been after or just waving their arms around wildly while you’re doing it to annoy you and try to force you to pay off the credit card with this month’s wages.
Well this touch banking may not click right away but NUIs are getting lotsa love. I believe Kinect can do just that like what they did to Xnatrix. I loved how they make interfaces out of thin air and add special effects to it. Banking may be produced with simpler interfaces but for operating systems and games, we’re going to expect a whirlwind of eye candy!