Consumer Reports Claims Kinect Is Not Racist
- Thread starter Greg Tito
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Gotta admit of all possible problems with kinect I wasn't expecting to hear something like this.
Well I don't think Gamespot was lying so whatever. They were speaking pretty specifically. If anything, for triple-A releases, they tend to play up otherwise mediocre products.
I also trust Gamespot to do a more thorough and knowledgable critique of computer game equipment than Consumer Reports.
That said, it's probably a minor issue that can be fixed with an update or two. They were right to report what they saw.
From what I've seen the Kinect creates a pretty good real time body map, but despite that Kinect controls look clunky even getting around the basic interface. It looks good at recognizing whole body motions, but fine motions it might fall apart. None of the games I've seen make me want a Kinect, but at the same time, I think it is possible for a Kinect game to be made that I would like.
I also trust Gamespot to do a more thorough and knowledgable critique of computer game equipment than Consumer Reports.
That said, it's probably a minor issue that can be fixed with an update or two. They were right to report what they saw.
From what I've seen the Kinect creates a pretty good real time body map, but despite that Kinect controls look clunky even getting around the basic interface. It looks good at recognizing whole body motions, but fine motions it might fall apart. None of the games I've seen make me want a Kinect, but at the same time, I think it is possible for a Kinect game to be made that I would like.
Well, the issue I have here is the allegation of racism involved. It would only be racist IMO if the technology could work fine for black people, but the developers decided to intentionally rig it so it wouldn't. As it doesn't seem that Gamespote found any reliable evidence of such tampering, nor claimed to (unless I'm missing something in reading this) I think people are making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Still, there doesn't seem to be an issue by other reports, so even if there was a problem it seems to be fixed now.
To be entirely honest though, it does raise an interesting question. As we see more in the way of vistual recognition technology and the like, what happens if we DO see problems like this that are out in the open and not easily correctible.
Let's say that something like "Kinect" for whatever reason won't work for a given ethnicity. Heck, it might be white people, asians, hispanics, blacks, it doesn't matter for the purpose of the arguement. There is no racism involved, or intentionally placed limitations in the product, it just doesn't work with a given skin tone or whatever. Would it be right to punish everyone and hold back the technology, or make a big stink out of it?
I think for there to be racism there has to be some intent there, and I am quite probably missing something, but I am failing to see how anyone could be reading intent into this.
Still, there doesn't seem to be an issue by other reports, so even if there was a problem it seems to be fixed now.
To be entirely honest though, it does raise an interesting question. As we see more in the way of vistual recognition technology and the like, what happens if we DO see problems like this that are out in the open and not easily correctible.
Let's say that something like "Kinect" for whatever reason won't work for a given ethnicity. Heck, it might be white people, asians, hispanics, blacks, it doesn't matter for the purpose of the arguement. There is no racism involved, or intentionally placed limitations in the product, it just doesn't work with a given skin tone or whatever. Would it be right to punish everyone and hold back the technology, or make a big stink out of it?
I think for there to be racism there has to be some intent there, and I am quite probably missing something, but I am failing to see how anyone could be reading intent into this.
First lol to the 2 guys at gamestop playing videogames instead of working BRAVOOOoooo...
Second i bet microsoft when tests this things they always test in wide open lighted backgrounds...
So the dudes "that should be working" were problably in a already dark place and too close to the recognizer for it to work properly....
Second i bet microsoft when tests this things they always test in wide open lighted backgrounds...
So the dudes "that should be working" were problably in a already dark place and too close to the recognizer for it to work properly....
I'm still not sure why anyone pays any attention to reviews and such from either GameSpot or IGN. Both of them are the same crap, just with a different wrapper.
Honestly GameSpot must be stupid if they thought Microsoft didn't make sure this thing would be able to recognize people who aren't white.
Honestly GameSpot must be stupid if they thought Microsoft didn't make sure this thing would be able to recognize people who aren't white.
I love how they say this. They're acting like, for years, black people and overweight people have been excluded from gaming with conventional controllers. Like there are barriers stopping them from using a Dualshock 3, but Kinect comes and breaks down those racists barriers!Greg Tito said:
It would've been pretty funny if the tests turned out to be real though, and it thought all black people looked the same. I mean, it would've been bad, but it would be kinda funny if the software for Kinect thought they all looked the same. And when an Asian guy pops in, it loads Jackie Chan's profile.
Considering the effort most GameStop employees really put into knowing games and systems being slim to none, I am thinking they forgot to read some of the warnings. Though why a system that actively projects its own light(infrared) to read movements needs other sources of light(not infrared) to help needs a bit of clarity.
Methinks we are starting to see the tip of the iceberg of the flaws in this gizmo.
Methinks we are starting to see the tip of the iceberg of the flaws in this gizmo.
Might want to plastic up your house because it is gonna get messy in there. We are in for a long haul of a lot of stuff Kinect.Brotherofwill said:
If the 'light levels typically used in living rooms at night' needs to be as bright as the 'usual living room' is large, then it might be a problem.
1. The kinect is racist it hates all humans as in the human race.
2. The computer overlords are coming!
3. We must prepare ourselves!
4. The original claim was stupid.
5. I like this article it is a nice way of saying gamespot you are morons and I have science to back that up.
2. The computer overlords are coming!
3. We must prepare ourselves!
4. The original claim was stupid.
5. I like this article it is a nice way of saying gamespot you are morons and I have science to back that up.
Fantastic episode. Wish that show had lasted, it was shaping up to be one of the better comedies of the last few years.Matt K said:
Also, technology can't be racist until we have AI. Racism implies thought/personality/preferences, a computer has none of the above (Preferences are user-set, not compy-set).
Kinect may not be racist, but as many of their games require you to stand, they do prohibit access to those in wheelchairs. Playing Wii in a wheelchair? Works great! Using PS Move in a wheelchair? No problems. Playing Kinect games in a wheelchair? Doesn't work at all.
I enjoy how you can't find a the word "racist" in the GameSpot story and only find it in the Consumer Reports story as a tangential to another item. I then enjoyed all the people who commented about GameSpot sensationalizing their news, as opposed to recognizing that Greg Tito here actually sensationalized it, as Consumer Reports makes no claim to find that the Kinect isn't racist, only that they found it was able to differentiate between two players with different skin tones at proper lighting levels.
Frankly, it doesn't seem like Consumer Reports or GameSpot really tried. Both of them only used two subjects in their tests, as if that were the end-all-be-all. I'd like to see a larger sample than that before I made up my mind. What if the Kinect does happen to have a higher chance of failing to recognize people with darker skin tones, but it's not a guarantee to occur every time?
Frankly, it doesn't seem like Consumer Reports or GameSpot really tried. Both of them only used two subjects in their tests, as if that were the end-all-be-all. I'd like to see a larger sample than that before I made up my mind. What if the Kinect does happen to have a higher chance of failing to recognize people with darker skin tones, but it's not a guarantee to occur every time?