A patent from Microsoft showing Kinect reading sign language is just that, a patent, as the camera can’t interpret such precise finger gestures.
It could have if they had stuck to its original higher resolution camera design, but later iterations prevent it from identifying fingers on limbs.
”Microsoft files lots of patent applications to protect our intellectual property, not all of which are brought to market right away. Kinect that is shipping this holiday will not support sign language,” said the company in a statement.
The lower resolution prevents Kinect from picking up fingers as well as limbs, so it would seem that sign language recognition will stay off the feature list. This is Microsoft just covering themselves for a possible future ‘evolution’ of the technology.
Sorry videogamer, you can ‘flip the bird’ all you want but Kinect can’t tell.