Microsoft has announced plans to promote health and fitness by making Xbox 360 avatars take on the same physical appearance as their real-world counterparts.
Last week, the platform holder filed a patent application for "Avatar Individualized by Physical Characteristic". According to the filing, the initiative will use health and psychological data to form a realistic representation of the user.
Microsoft also noted that users will be locked out of certain components of games or chatrooms until the health parameters have been met.
"Physical data that reflects a degree of health of the real person can be linked to rewards of capabilities of a gaming avatar, an amount of time budgeted to play, or a visible indication," the patent read. "Thereby, people are encouraged to exercise."
It was indicated that the avatar will also be based on psychological traits such as intelligence, religious beliefs and political affiliations. The listing went on to explain how an individual's health and mood could be determined.
"As a person utilises Voice over IP to chat with a viewing person in the virtual environment, stress could be detected to gauge honesty," the application stated. "As another example, skin resistance, pulse and breathing could be detected to gauge mood."
It is thought that the initiative could tie in with the upcoming Project Natal in 2010.
Dgital Spy
26-12-2009, 08:31 PM
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Xbox 360 to introduce a 'Keep Fit' scheme with Avatars
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