Kinect Patent Reveals Sign Language Capabilities

A patent filed by Microsoft reveals new features for its Kinect motion-sensing peripheral, including the ability to detect American Sign Language.

The patent is from last year, and claims the device can not only interpret ASL into phrases that could be recognized and then turned into voice chat on the other end, for example, but that it can read lips and other fine body articulations. So far in the demos we've had, however, Kinect doesn't always live up to its promises of 1:1 fidelity. In other words – be careful if Kinect is trying to read your lips when you say "six" in German.