Abstract
The Microsoft KINECT is a 3D sensing device originally developed for the XBOX. The Microsoft KINECT opens up many exciting new opportunities for conducting experimental research on human behavior. We investigated some of these possibilities within the field of psycholinguistics (specifically: language production) by creating software, using C#, allowing for the KINECT to be used in a typical psycholinguistic experimental setting. The results of a naming experiment using this software confirmed that the KINECT was able to measure the effects of a robust psycholinguistic variable (word frequency) on naming latencies. However, although the current version of the software is able to measure psycholinguistic variables of interest, we also discuss several points where the software can still stand to be improved. The main aim of this paper is to make the software freely available for assessment and use by the psycholinguistic community and to illustrate the KINECT as a potentially valuable tool for investigating human behavior, especially in the field of psycholinguistics.
Highlights
The way we interact with technology is rapidly changing
The KINECT offers advancements for behavioral research in many fields, this paper focuses on how the KINECT can benefit research on language production
These results show that the software in combination with the KINECT is able to record a well-known psycholinguistic variable (i.e. HF < LF reaction time (RT)), both by using auditory information and by using visual information
Summary
The way we interact with technology is rapidly changing. The rapidly decreasing cost of 3D sensing technologies (such as the Microsoft KINECT), even allows us to interact with technology through facial expressions and voice information. This technology offers exciting new opportunities for expe-. How to cite this paper: Verdonschot, R.G., Guillemaud, H., Rabenarivo, H., & Tamaoka, K. The Microsoft KINECT: A Novel Tool for Psycholinguistic Research. This paper highlights a potentially important role for KINECT technology in a particular area concerning the study of human behavior, namely language production (a subfield of psycholinguistics)
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