Tokyo University and Microsoft Japan modify Kinect for disabled computer users

The University of Tokyo Research Center and Microsoft Japan have teamed up to create new a computer program utilizing the Xbox 360's Kinect to grant physically disabled people the ability to use Windows computers, reports Japan Daily Press.

The university hopes to integrate Kinect motion-sensing technology and voice recognition into computers, allowing handicapped players control of the hardware.

The partnership has produced a software called OAK, or Observation and Access with Kinect, that allows this interaction. Computers recognize both user movement and depth of the motion field, so users with severely restricted movement can use it as well. The software runs alongside a Kinect unit modified to focus on face and voice recognition.

The OAK system is currently undergoing testing in Japan.