Microsoft Kinect: From Living Rooms to CU Branches?

Kinect for Xbox 360, a controller-free, $150 gaming device that allows users to operate their Xbox consoles solely through bodily gestures and voice commands, has made a splash among video game and electronics enthusiasts. But is there a practical application for Kinect outside the gaming world–say, in credit union branches?

The concept isn’t as far-fetched as you might think. Microsoft is warming financial institutions up to the idea of using Kinect in branches to develop hands-free, interactive video marketing tools. In a demo video Microsoft Financial Services posted to Facebook, a man interacts with a large screen inside a bank branch to learn about auto financing, which then directs him to an employee for further discussion.