A patent application filed by Microsoft details plans for avatars that would reflect an actual user’s health, by using third-party reports and first-party active monitoring techniques.
Named Avatar Individualized by Physical Characteristics (PDF), such an application, according to Microsoft, could lead to innovations such offering rewarding or unlocking items and areas in videogames based on physiological data that reflects “a degree of health in the real person.”
This would allow people to gleam more about each other online as well, eliminating false signals sent by typically fake avatar representations, or as Microsoft eloquently puts it, “People seeking to meet and become acquainted with particular types of people are not thwarted by the artificiality of avatars.”
An avatar’s health stats could be updated by data collection from “a third party health data collection repository, a healthcare smart card, a real-time physiological sensor (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose, peak flow, pedometer, etc.”
Taking it a step beyond physical appearance, the application could also be expanded to include “The physical characteristics can be further extended to psychological traits associated with the physical person, including intelligence, religious beliefs, political affiliations, and hobbies that affect the rendering of an avatar.”
This idea would certainly lead to dramatic changes in the videogame space, but it could easily expand to just about every corner of the Internet if it's able to go from idea to reality.
|Via SlashDot|
Comments
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
This idea would certainly lead to dramatic changes in the videogame space, but it could easily expand to just about every corner of the Internet if it's able to go from idea to reality.
Keywords: If it's able to go from idea to reality........
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
Sounds like more Nintendo coattail riding if you ask me.
That was obvious with NATAL.
They've also patented an advice/help guide (a la NSBWii's "Super Guide")
And this just screams "Vitality Sensor".
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
Yay Microsoft...DIE! No seriously. I come to the internet to avoid the "Mooo!" "Hey Wide Load!" "Dude what happened to all the skinny chicks!" BS I suffer in Real life because due to medical issues I'm in a losing battle with my weight...at least on line I can avoid that stuff and just be myself. Now Microsoft wants to take all vestages of my escape away? That's horrible ;_;
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
"An avatar’s health stats could be updated by data collection from “a third party health data collection repository, a healthcare smart card, a real-time physiological sensor (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose, peak flow, pedometer, etc.”
Being a gamer with mild asthma, something I can't do anything about, it would be pretty messed up to be locked out of an area because I won't ever be able to get a good rating on a peak flow meter.
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
Not to mention the privacy issues involved.
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
Uh huh... So they basicly want to use my whole fucking history for a totally useless and most likely self-damaging application. And this in a time where companies are already denying people jobs because of credit history and health. Are they really that fucking stupid? No thanks I'd rather have my brains pulled out through my uethra.
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
Ugh, as if being kicked from games for having a low gamerscore wasn't bad enough, now people will harass each other for being a little pudgy
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
WHy not have a nice slider thingy like on City of heros only with a fat/ulgy option.....
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! CP/IP laws should not effect the daily life of common people! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
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Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
Looking 10+ years into the social networking future....I guess.... but were they not going to have a cam that did the avatar? oh wait they tossed that out since they could sell people mini avatar models....
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! CP/IP laws should not effect the daily life of common people! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Let's renegotiate them.
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Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
Is this actually geared twoards games?
This sounds more like technology they might be developing for telepresnse and other such professional oriented packages.
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
That would be the most rational (and likely most profitable) implementation of such technology, which naturally makes it the one people will be least likely to consider as being the intent.
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
"...could lead to innovations such offering rewarding or unlocking items and areas in videogames based on physiological data that reflects “a degree of health in the real person.” "
Hmmm.... I wonder what Erik's next lawsuit will be...
Yeah, I can see it now. Developers will now dictate whether your condition is satisfactory to even be allowed to play a game, whether you prove you can or not by actually playing.
Then there are the wonderful "negative" rewards and achievments. I can see hundreds of them. Not to mention the "Pity" awards. "OMG! You've got one arm and have made it to the next to the last stage in Midnight Club: Disabled Crew! Wow! 10,000 achievment points!" :/
Of course, there is a hidden potential there as well. Body suits haven't hit in the video game community. Not really. But SOME parts have, over time, caught on. Power Glove for one. Build in a heart rate monitor, blood pressure monitor, and a few other sensors, and you COULD, feasibly, have the game, especially one that you use a lot of physical interaction with, adapt to your condition. Set a game to not overwork you, the game allows you to pull back if the sensors say you're over doing it. Want to push yourself? Set the options to push your limits, whatever you set them for. Of course, at the same time, the game company risks liability if it allows you to set it beyond endurance and you pass out and smack your head on the corner of a table.
Nightwng2000
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Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
Actually? What I'm expecting is that games will now have virtual barricades set up over key areas, complete with signs that say something to the effect of "No fatties! >:("
What gets me though, is this little gem:
The physical characteristics can be further extended to psychological traits associated with the physical person, including intelligence, religious beliefs, political affiliations, and hobbies that affect the rendering of an avatar.
So basically, if I'm reading this right Microsoft is going to take a bunch of data, translate it into a bunch of stereotypes, transform those stereotypes into an avatar then finally hand it back to some gamer with a little note that reads “This is you.”
Are they trying to piss people off?
Granted, I admit they could do some nice stuff like you mentioned. But right now I don't see it doing much besides angering people when they see what this new avatar tech thinks of them.
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
They're actually putting funding into this bullshit? LOL! We should expect nothing less idiotic from Microsoft by now.
-- Randi Tastix
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Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
Cool Idea but Kind of pointless if you ask me
Never underestimate the power of idiots in large amounts.
Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
Dumbest idea I've heard in a long time. Anyone else see this as a thinly veiled prelude to selling people add-ons to actually monitor this stuff?
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Re: Microsoft Patent Seeks “Real” Avatars
actually i think it's a prelude to a Natal version of wii-fit
"watch your avatar slim down and increase it's health stats"