If Microsoft's E3 2012 Press Conference is any indication, then the Kinect is due for a big overhaul. While the biggest evolution of the Kinect, stylistically and technologically, should take place with the release of the Kinect 2 — a product teased by a recent Xbox 720-related document — Microsoft is planning a wholly new approach when it comes to marketing the device.

Rather than engage the player with interesting, motion-controlled experiences, Microsoft is planning to roll out a new type of ad that would see the player interacting with it in a wide variety of ways. These new types of ads are being called NUads and feature a similar type of interactivity seen on YouTube channels or even at the end of popular news articles.

The main goal with NUads is to get the player engaged with the commercial in any way possible; usually by having them answer a poll. That interactivity, however, requires the use of either Kinect's motion control or its voice recognition features. The example included below asks the player to chime in on a device they would like to see reinvented, and is possible through either gesture or voice.

httpv://youtu.be/tXXoajzmOdU

Obviously this NUad video is just a prototype, but the type of commercial interactivity it suggests could be a pretty useful tool. Imagine if a food company could find the latest trends in beverages, or if a studio could see if their latest movie trailer strikes a chord with gamers, that type of information could inform how they market future products.

There is, of course, the gamers' willingness to participate in the commercial that is a huge determining factor for NUads' success, but that should come in time. For now Microsoft is probably mulling over the many possibilities NUads can bring, especially if you factor in SmartGlass technology.

The program is set to hit Xbox Live in the Fall, and by then we expect to see more than just a wave of the hand or a simple answer as the key form of commercial interaction, but for now it's a cool idea.

What do you think of Microsoft's NUads? Can you see yourself using the interactive commercial feature in the future?

Source: Techland