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We met our friend Giddeon at the AbleGamers Accessibility Arcade in Atlantic City, New Jersey. When he first sat down with the AbleGamers crew, Giddeon didn't want to play any games. He told us that with his disability gaming was difficult. Giddeon has a rare disease that caused the growth of his arms .. Read More
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Since 2004, the AbleGamers Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, has served more than 56 million members of the disabled community by advocating greater access in video games. Today, AbleGamers is a leader in the development of equipment, programs and services to those living with disabilities, hardships, and quality-of-life issues that are a result of chronic illness or trauma. It is our goal to ensure that all people, regardless of their disability, can use gaming as a tool to have enriched social experiences with friends, family, and the world at large.

Nyko Zoom for Kinect E3 Preview

Written by Rob McCaulley

Published on 09 June 2011

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Post-E3 2011 looks like a promising time for Kinect adoption as Nyko has unveiled their “Zoom” accessory for Microsoft’s Kinect accessory. The intent of this mind-bogglingly simple piece of equipment is to reduce the space needed between players and the Kinect itself by up to 40%.

Myself, if I would have been able to see the huge monitor inside of either of the trailers I saw Kinect in prior to launch last year, I would have been onboard for a pre-order, but as is the case with many distance-oriented things for the visually-impaired, I was left wanting.

Thanks to Nyko, my dream of one day having a Kinectimal of my very own (which I’ll call “Aardvark” - no matter what) might just become a reality!

Nyko’s intent with this product is not to satisfy the needs of the visually impaired, but to satisfy the needs of those who don’t quite have enough space to connect with the Kinect – both on the single and multiplayer fronts.

nyko_splash Microsoft recommends 6 to 8-feet between the player and the Kinect accessory with more space required to accommodate multiple players. When the Kinect is used in conjunction with Nyko’s Zoom, the space theoretically needed to enjoy the $150 peripheral (Kinect) is reduced to 3.6 to 4.8-feet of space for a single player.

The specially designed lenses used in the Zoom are not only good for single player interaction, but the clip-on accessory also boasts the ability to play multiplayer titles in the same space formerly required to play as a single player.

If this is the case, I’ll be more than happy to finally be able to quench my thirst for motion-controlled gaming and invest in a Kinect accessory.

With more and more developers opening their minds to the possibilities put forth by the Kinect; as with the seated gameplay of Fable: The Journey, and the vocal commands as seen and heard in Mass Effect 3, thanks to producers of third-party accessories like Nyko’s Zoom lens, this may be the most exciting period of time Microsoft’s Kinect accessory has experienced within the AbleGamers community.

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0 #2 COMMENT_TITLE_R E Nyko Zoom for Kinect E3 Preview — Mark 2011-06-10 00:01

I think you would be okay, because of the distance you need between you and the Kinect in standard config, most games have kept "text" to a minimum. Almost no one can read anything from the distances you need to be at. In my house I am almost 12 feet away from the TV to play Kinects.

We are going to get one for the AGF lab, so we will see.

0 #1 COMMENT_TITLE_R E Nyko Zoom for Kinect E3 Preview — RenderB 2011-06-09 23:53

This would still not let me do anything that required reading, but for more casual games it might work.
OH dear, no more valid excuse not to make a fool of myself at parties. ;-)