What ever happened to in-home 3D technology and virtual reality? Perhaps futurists got a bit ahead of themselves, and maybe the way our eyes and minds focus means that many entertainment experiences must be focused on a screen … but that does not mean they are limited to it.

From Microsoft: “IllumiRoom uses a Kinect for Windows camera and a projector to blur the lines between on-screen content and the environment we live in allowing us to combine our virtual and physical worlds. For example, our system can change the appearance of the room, induce apparent motion, extend the field of view, and enable entirely new game experiences.”

Beyond a cool gimmick or special effect, on the one hand, or a practical extension of screen space on the other, this is about enhancing your experience – tapping into the background, like surround sound does.

In some cases, context can be added – snowflakes sifting downward as you race on a MarioKart winter level. In other cases, useful peripheral elements can show you the broader built environment beyond your main area of focus – skies and streets above, below or off to the site in wireframe format.