A competition, opening on April 1st, is asking you to develop apps using the free OpenNI open source framework, which provides an API for writing applications that make use of natural interaction.
OpenNI is an organisation established to promote the open source use of "Natural Interaction" devices. It is headed by PrimeSense, inventors of the hardware and software that has now become the Microsoft Kinect and Asus whose Xtion Pro Sensor is a Kinect alternative and provides software that is free and easy to use.
OpenNI's newly announced competition has three categories:
Apps for Kids Under Age 10
Online Shopping for Smart TVs
Photo Tools
To enter you need to upload its code and a video of it in action to the OpenNI Challenge website to be judged by experts and voted on by visitors to the site.
The winners in each category, determined equally by the experts’ decision and the votes, receive as their prizes a fully paid trip (airfare, hotel and show passes) to IBC 2012 in Amsterdam - the conference for the electronic media and entertainment industry to be held between September 6-11.
So if you fancy networking at IBC this may seem like a great opportunity.
There's also an incentive simply for registering. Simply tweet about OpenNI challenge for a chance to win one of ten Asus Xtion Pro Sensors.
What seems like a small spat between Google and Microsoft over a new You Tube app for WP8 is actually a lesson to all of us, and might set a precedent in a much wider context.
It is worth seeing this video of realtime simulated water flow. It isn't perfect, but it is very good, and what can you say but "wow" when you watch all that simulated water sloshing about!
