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Kinect Delivers Augmented Reality Shopping
Nachiket Mhatre, May 11, 2011 1724 hrs ISTKinect-enabled dressing mirror lets shoppers virtually try on clothes
It originally started off as a motion controller for a proprietary gaming console. However, Microsoft's Kinect controller for Xbox 360 has permeated into applications as diverse as mainstream consumer electronics, robotics, mapping, research, and advanced UI solutions - all thanks to the diligence of hackers and the open source community. Kinect's latest conquest includes the retail industry, with an Augmented Reality implementation that can potentially change the way we shop. Microsoft's spatial imaging based Kinect will be a permanent feature in international retailer Topshop's Moscow store.
Outfitted by Russian agency AR Door, the dressing room delivers an Augmented Reality enhanced shopping experience through a Kinect-enabled dressing mirror. The high-tech mirror lets shoppers virtually try on clothes without the hassle of changing for real. This could potentially save clothing outlets a small fortune, considering the significant losses shops face in the form of dressing room related pilferage.
This innovative Kinect application seems likely to boost sales by speeding up the purchase process, but considering the impressive Kinect penetration figures in homes around the world, online shops too can have a virtual dressing room. Topshop's implementation doesn't seem to factor in size and measurements, but the Kinect camera is capable of analysing video input for accurate size calculation. Letting shoppers virtually try on clothes for fitting and matching purposes will be a definite advantage over regular e-shops, where buyers have to wrestle with arbitrary measurement conventions and guesswork.
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