This is a remarkable and exciting development from RCAST at the University of Tokyo and Microsoft Japan. Kinect PC software that enables multiple switches to be created in thin-air for the user: Observation and Access with Kinect (OAK). The following is mainly cribbed from their video above:
OAK is software created to support people with severe physical disabilities to enable activities of daily living using Kinect for Windows.
OAK can create non-contact switches for the user using the human motion tracking of Kinect.
OAK Air Switch is the software that can create nonexistent but repsonsive switches in the air. The switches are called air switches.
Air Switch Depth mode: In Depth mode, OAK allows you to draw a switch "in the air" (much like Eye Toy buttons, but looking far more responsive). Activating A "Tracking" mode enables the switch to proportionately follow the user to take into account if they shift from their original position.
Air Switch Colour Mode: Drag a switch anywhere on screen. If the pixels change within that box, a switch is activated. This looks like very small changes can be detected, such as a small finger movement.
Face Switch: This enables switches to be controlled using the face, mouth, tongue and eyes.
The potential for this software is huge. Single switches can be tailor made to suit each individual across a broad range of possible motions. The ephemeral nature of the switches means they can be quickly adapted to keep in step with any changing needs, at no extra cost. At the other end, an elaborate array of switches could be created to give huge power. Although the tactile nature of a physical switch is a hard thing to improve upon for many the OAK Air Switch offers such great poential. I wonder when it will be released and for how much. I wonder if it can be used with with the likes of the Cronus to control Xbox 360 games too.
Huge thanks to Brannon Zahand for the links and tip-off. Read more at www.assist-i.net, at their OAK switch PDF and at Microsoft.
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