North Korea and South Korea are separated by the most heavily armed border on Earth. But rest easy, there’s a new guard on the lookout: Kinect.
Self-taught South Korean programmer Jae Kwan Ko developed a Kinect-based software system to monitor the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), which separates the two countries. It was deployed at the border last August, but its existence wasn’t made public until recently.
According to news site Hankooki (via tipster Sang), the Kinect-based system identifies objects crossing the DMZ. It can discern the difference between animals and humans. If the system detects a human, it will alert the nearby outpost. Further details are sparse — probably, because this involves national security.
“I’ve never even thought of a game system performing national defence tasks,” Ko is quoted as saying. In the future, Ko says the sensor will detect heart rates and heat — which sounds like the DMZ’s Kinect guard will be upgraded to the Xbox One version.
The Xbox One has yet to be released in South Korea.
가장 창조경제적인 이 사람… “게임기로 휴전선을 지킨다” [Hankooki — Thanks Sang!]
Photo: Jacquelyn Martin | AP
Comments
5 responses to “Microsoft’s Kinect Is Now Guarding The Korean Border”
We all know the Kinect is doing great things, I just wish some of that was actually in gaming.
How the hell can it discern between animals and humans, and yet my 360 version can’t discern between me and a freaking couch?
Said it before and will say it again, it’s like dropping a big block V8 engine in to a car made of Lego car. Looks awesome but bloody useless
Thus WW3 started with a million voices yelling “XBOX OFF” as the north Korean army marches across the border dressed as couches!!!
“How the hell can it discern between animals and humans, and yet my 360 version can’t discern between me and a freaking couch?”
another way to look at it is “how is kinect’s tech so amazingly good at recognizing couches ?”
Those ppl at MS are wizards !
Yawn. Talk about boring remakes.
Explain the automated turrets they were installing 3 years ago along the DMZ, designed to target ‘humans’?
http://www.gizmag.com/korea-dodamm-super-aegis-autonomos-robot-gun-turret/17198/
Thanks for the info
So if someone ever wanted to sneak across all they need to do is dress up like an animal haha
My kinnect got confused when I grew a beard, if only Korean’s could grow beards the south is in trouble 😛