Monday, December 21, 2009

Stupid Fucking Patents

Hooray Microsoft:
An avatar generator for a virtual environment reflects a physiological characteristic of the user, injecting a degree of reality into the capabilities or appearance. Thereby, many of the incentives of the real world are replicated in a virtual environment. Physiological data that reflect 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. Thereby, people are encouraged to exercise. Physiological data that reflect the health and perhaps also mood also improve social interaction in virtual environments. People seeking to meet and become acquainted with particular types of people are not thwarted by the artificiality of avatars. The physiological data can be gleaned from a third party health data collection repository, a healthcare smart card, a real-time physiological sensor (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose, peak flow, pedometer, etc.)
Those of us who are outstandingly good looking and healthy need not fear, but what about the hideous troglodytes?

8 comments:

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

what about zombies? We got no blood pressure.

I need to pester Russ Feingold to introduce civil rights legislation.

mikey said...

Well, see, that would be sorta a mixed blessing. My avatar would be old, sick, flatulent and frankly, not very attractive.

He would, however, be endowed with the hammer of thor, manhood - er, avatarhood-wise, which would make him more popular than might otherwise be expected...

Substance McGravitas said...

I look forward to avatar-driven eating disorders.

fish said...

Avatar hacks. Download avatar steroids or liposuction, just $19.95.

Smut Clyde said...

Thereby, many of the incentives of the real world are replicated in a virtual environment.

Isn't that missing the point of a virtual environment?

Physiological data that reflect the health and perhaps also mood also improve social interaction in virtual environments.
Like we are here for social interaction.
What world are these programmers from? A virtual one?

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

What world are these programmers from?

I do NOT want to know the answer to that question.

Smut Clyde said...

a real-time physiological sensor (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose, peak flow, pedometer, etc.)

No mention of "penile enlargement meter".
Time to register a patent.

Smut Clyde said...

What world are these programmers from?
I do NOT want to know the answer to that question.


The more important question is whether they are all loyal to their employers and share their goal of mining our resources, or whether some of them can be brought around to fight on our behalf.