If you pay for information now..... just wait a couple of years

Back in 2002 I worked for a toy company that would use the Media lab at MIT to look at their ideas for "toys of the future". One of their concepts was a room, with a large screen, and device to track the objects of interest. In this case the object were coloured blocks with RF-ID chips inside. A motion capture device scanned the room and detected the position of theses object, it would present a mirror image of a similar room on the large screen, showing the objects in there relative positions. The software would also generates a cartoon like playmate who would interact with the person (typically a child) in the room. If the person (child) in the room picked up an object of interest and presented it to the character on-screen - as if they were passing the object - it would be received by the character on the screen. The idea was to create high "play value" as could serve as virtual play partner for you child, with many play scenarios available to purchase.

Enter mid-2009 and the Natal demo. The level of interactivity is stunning. It looks as if Microsoft will be using this as controller less version of the Wii, as shown in this demo.

Professions like psychiatry should take notice. I can envision a doctor like character who performs the same function as the Kid in the Natal demo but who has the power of the internet to do their research... only they will do it in seconds. This previously paid for psychiatric consulting now becomes free.

But I'm sure they would invent a Lawyer program first.