Proof-of-concept system from Microsoft Research uses Kinect camera to combine virtual and physical worlds.

Microsoft has offered a glimpse into what the future of gaming may look like. The company's Research team has detailed on its website a visual IllumiRoom system that combines the virtual and physical worlds using a Kinect camera.

As shown in the video below (which does not use any special effects), the system can alter the appearance of a room, trigger apparent motion, and extend a field of view, all in the name of enabling new gameplay experiences.

IllumiRoom uses the features and geometry of a room, captured by Kinect, to alter the projected visuals in real-time. A custom pre-process arrangement is not necessary.

The technology is currently in a proof-of-concept stage, and it is not clear if Microsoft plans to incorporate the technology into the Xbox 360 or its rumored successor. Microsoft will divulge more information on the IllumiRoom technology at the human-computer interaction ACM SIGCHI conference in Paris, France, which runs April 27-May 2.

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