Tech blog Geekwire recently uncovered a U.S. patent for software which uses the Kinect to scan a potential player's body size, and restrict mature content based on their estimated age. It does so not just by examining their height, but the proportions of their body parts -- still, we think it would have an awfully difficult time detecting the age of a little person, or an unnaturally, horrifyingly gigantic teenager.

According to the filing, "output content can be replaced by substitute content when a person in a lower age group enters the field of view." This could mean that if an adult was playing Rise of Nightmares, and then their child walks into the room, the console would temporarily switch over to Kinectimals until junior left the room, returning the player to adult time. "Don't look at that, Johnny," the father would say to his curious offspring. "That's grown-up Kinectimals."



Posted: Oct 03, 2011 2:14 pm

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/patent-points-to-possible-kinect-based-parental-controls/