Now that Microsoft has unleashed Kinect on the broader tech world, expect to see creative uses pour in.  For instance, take this video demonstration from CES 2012.  It shows how a department store might set up a Kinect Kiosk in the mall to allow shoppers to virtually try on clothes.

The software looks pretty rough around the edges, though.  The clothing overlay shows what a woman would look like with a dress placed on top of her current outfit that she has on.  (The results aren’t too flattering!)  However, one could imagine how a few tweaks to the software might make this a viable option for clothing stores in the near future.

Check out this video about one of the future uses of the Kinect.

But, the fun doesn’t stop there.  Scott Fulton at ReadWriteWeb explores other possible adaptations of this technology.  Specifically, he mentions predictive advertizing where the kiosk would recognize certain demographical information about the person standing in front of it and tailor an ad for that person.

Here’s my frustration.

You’re probably thinking I’m going to say something about companies collecting more information about who I am and using it to sell me stuff I don’t need.  Nope – I accept that as just a part of the world we live in.  Instead, my frustration is in my decision this week to purchase an AppleTV for the church.  We are finally adding a flat-screen to the hallway to show graphical announcements and video promos.  The idea is, using the AppleTV, we can wirelessly control the stream using looping playlists on a computer somewhere in the building.  Now, I find out that the Kinect could offer an even better experience!

Fortunately (or not), the software for this idea is not here yet.  But think of the possibilities for a church.  A college-aged student walks in your doors and is greeted by a video promoting a Saturday night worship service, followed by video/graphical announcements for other college-aged ministries, such as small-groups, etc.  Later, an older adult walks in and is shown a video describing a Sunday School class with people in her age group.

The possibilities are endless.