No eyes Namaste: Microsoft Kinect helping the blind do yoga - GeekWire

With help from the Microsoft Kinect, researchers from the University of Washington have figured out a way^[1] to help blind people or those with low vision perform yoga correctly.

Using just a computer and Kinect skeletal tracking data, “Eyes-Free Yoga^[2] ” acts as a virtual yoga instructor that can provide speech feedback for someone attempting to perform one of six poses.

The video below might give you a better idea of how this works. The software uses basic geometry to figure out if you’re doing the pose correctly, and is programmed to either tell you how to fix your body angles — like, “rotate your shoulders left” — or simply say “good job,” if you are doing it the right way.

Kyle Rector, Cynthia Bennett and Julie Kientz — a former Geek of the Week^[3] — worked on the project and just published their research here^[4] . They plan to make the software available online, so those interested can download the program straight to their Kinect.

• TypeOther


• ConnectionWired (Proprietary)


• Console compatibilityMicrosoft (Xbox 360)


• Released11/04/2010

see all specs →^[5]

• Ergonomics / comfort8.5


• Accuracy / responsiveness7.7


• Durability8.4

Get better reviews from people who actually have this product!

write a reviewsee all reviews →^{[6] [7]}

References

1. ^{^} figured out a way (www.washington.edu)


2. ^{^} Eyes-Free Yoga (dub.washington.edu)


3. ^{^} Geek of the Week (www.geekwire.com)


4. ^{^} published their research here (homes.cs.washington.edu)


5. ^{^} Microsoft Kinect specifications (gdgt.com)


6. ^{^} Review the Microsoft Kinect (gdgt.com)


7. ^{^} see all reviews → (gdgt.com)