什么是 Project Natal

Project Natal 是微软推出的Xbox 360上的新娱乐体验的开发代号。这个名字的由来有多层含义。首先，微软公司一向习惯以全球城市名来作为其项目的开发代号。因此，该项目负责人，来自巴西的 Alex Kipman 选择了一座位于巴西东北海岸的城市 Natal 的名字来纪念他的祖国。此外，Natal 这个词在拉丁语中也有“诞生”（“to be born”）的含义，因此用这名字来命名再合适不过。

Project Natal 将如何改变人们的游戏方式？

• 无控制器游戏与娱乐 Project Natal 提供了一种全新的游戏方式——无需控制器。它利用传感器来跟踪人体的运动，识别面部，甚至倾听你的语音。只要你知道如何甩手、扭腰、或说话，就可以立刻和朋友一起体验 Project Natal 的魅力。

• 全身游戏 Project Natal 为你提供了一种让身体所有部位都游戏起来的方式——头、手、脚和躯干。无遥控器游戏，意味着你不再控制超级英雄，而你就是超级英雄。全身跟踪，使得 Project Natal 的传感器能捕捉你的每次动作，从头到脚，提供全身的游戏体验。

• 个性化游戏 Project Natal 可以在游戏中提供识别玩家面部和语音的独特体验。你可以和游戏中的角色打招呼、说话，或者直接跨一步进入传感器的视野，就可以登录 Xbox LIVE 与好友交流。只有 Project Natal 足以智能到记住各种语音和面孔。如此个性化的娱乐前所未有。

• 站起来游戏 Project Natal 让你离开沙发，站起来游戏，获得快乐。Project Natal 的每种体验都为了让玩家动起来、笑起来、蹦起来、众乐乐而设计。Project Natal 让社会性游戏真正站了起来。

• 轻松体验游戏乐趣 Project Natal 极大推进了乐趣的分享。你将可以和朋友们一起观赏电影，无论是同处一室，还是远隔千里——无需耳麦，无需键盘，无需任何控制器。只有你和你的朋友、家人和全新的娱乐方式。

Project Natal 是如何工作的？

• Project Natal 传感器 Project Natal 是全球首个将 RGB 摄像头、深度传感器、多阵列麦克风，和运行特定软件的可定制芯片整合到一起的全新系统，Project Natal 将为每台 Xbox 360 主机带来这种体验。Xbox 360 独家提供 Project Natal 传感器，通过跟踪人体全身运动、识别每种语音、创造无遥控器的乐趣和社会化娱乐。

• RGB 摄像头 Project Natal 拥有一个能提供三原色影像的视频摄像头。作为 Project Natal 传感器的一部分，RGB 摄像头主要负责脸部识别及其他功能。

• 深度探测器 Project Natal 拥有一个配备了单色 CMOS 传感器的红外投影仪，允许 Project Natal 在任何光照条件下识别房间内的三维空间（而不是将房间作为一个2D图像来识别）。

• 多阵列麦克风 Project Natal 内置一个麦克风，通过声音来识别语音，并过滤环境噪音。多阵列麦克风提供无耳麦的 Xbox LIVE 多人交谈，及其他功能。

• 定制芯片（运行有微软专利软件层）这一专利软件层使得一切 Project Natal 的魔法得以成真。让 Project Natal 与目前市场上的任何其他技术都卓而不同。

Xbox 360 “Project Natal” 101 June 2009

“Project Natal,” pronounced “nuh-tall,” is a code name for a revolutionary new way to play, no controller required. See a ball? Kick it, hit it, trap it or catch it. Unlike 2-D cameras and controllers, “Project Natal” tracks your full body movement in 3-D, while responding to commands, directions, even a difference of emotion in your voice.

When “Project Natal” is ready, it will work with every Xbox 360 console so people who have never picked up a controller can finally join the fun.

See below for “Project Natal” 101, a list of terms and concepts to help explain this transformation in home entertainment.

What is “Project Natal”?

“Project Natal” (pronounced na-tall) is the code name for the new controller-free gaming and entertainment experience from Xbox 360. The name “Project Natal” has several sources. Microsoft Corp. traditionally uses cities as code names. As a result, Alex Kipman, who incubated the project and is from Brazil, chose Natal, a city along the northeastern coast of Brazil, as a tribute to his country. In addition, he knew that Natal also means “to be born” in Latin. Given the new audiences “Project Natal” will bring to Xbox 360, this felt right.

How Will “Project Natal” Change the Way I Play?

• Controller-free gaming and entertainment. “Project Natal” provides a whole new way to play — no controller required. It uses a sensor to track your body movement and recognize your face, even listen to your voice. If you know how to move your hands, shake your hips, or speak, you and your friends will be able to jump instantly into any “Project Natal” experience.

• Full-body play. “Project Natal” provides a new way to play where you use all parts of your body — head, hands, feet and torso. With controller-free gaming you don’t just control the superhero, you are the superhero. Full-body tracking allows the “Project Natal” sensor to capture every move, from head to toe, to give players a full-body gaming experience.

• Personalized play. “Project Natal” provides an in-game experience in which the player’s face and voice are recognized. Greet and speak to characters in the game, or simply step into view of the sensor to log into Xbox LIVE and connect with friends. Only “Project Natal” is smart enough to remember voices and faces. Fun has never been so personalized.

• Off-the-couch play. “Project Natal” provides gameplay that gets you off the couch, on your feet and in the fun. Each “Project Natal” experience is designed to get players moving, laughing, cheering and playing together. “Project Natal” makes social gaming off-the-couch fun.

• Easy-to-play fun. “Project Natal” makes sharing in the fun a snap. Talk or watch a movie in the same living room or on the other side of the world — no headset, no keyboard and no controllers required. It’s just you, your friends, your family and a whole new way to play.

How Does “Project Natal” Work?

• “Project Natal” sensor. “Project Natal” is the world’s first system to combine an RGB camera, depth sensor, multiarray microphone and custom processor running proprietary software that brings “Project Natal” experiences to every Xbox 360 console. The “Project Natal” sensor tracks full-body movement and individual voices, creating controller-free fun and social entertainment available only on Xbox 360.

• RGB camera. “Project Natal” has a video camera that delivers the three basic color components. As part of the “Project Natal” sensor, the RGB camera helps enable facial recognition and more.

• Depth sensor. An infrared projector combined with a monochrome CMOS sensor allows “Project Natal” to see the room in 3-D (as opposed to inferring the room from a 2-D image) under any lighting conditions.

• Multiarray microphone. “Project Natal” has a microphone that will be able to locate voices by sound and extract ambient noise. The multiarray microphone will enable headset-free Xbox LIVE party chat and more.

• Custom processor (running Microsoft proprietary software layer). A proprietary software layer makes the magic of “Project Natal” possible. This layer differentiates “Project Natal” from any other technology on the market through its ability to enable human body recognition and extract other visual noise.