Foxtel and Xbox 360 gesture towards accessibility

Error message

Deprecated function: Array and string offset access syntax with curly braces is deprecated in include_once() (line 14 of /home/mediacc/public_html/themes/engines/phptemplate/phptemplate.engine).
Friday, 25 May 2012 10:23am

Foxtel has teamed up with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Kinect to provide voice and gesture based commands on the Foxtel subscription TV service.  By using voice and gesture commands, people who are vision impaired can now access television shows and movies without using a remote control.

Kinect is a motion sensor device that is used with the video games console Xbox 360. The motion sensor allows users to interact with video games using their voice and body. As well as a video games console, Xbox 360 provides access to music, television shows, movies and Foxtel programs.

By using Foxtel’s service through Xbox 360 Kinect, users are able to pause, play, rewind and navigate menu items by speaking and using their hands to make gestures, providing those who are vision impaired  with an alternative to using a remote control.

In December last year, the ABC made their online TV catch-up service, ABC iView available on the Kinect.  

The Xbox 360 console with the Kinect sensor retails for around $350.


Top of page