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A Microsoft research project called RoomAlive could soon be bringing holodecks to your living room.

The system of cameras projects images and animations onto the wall, letting the user interact with virtual objects.

It can map the geometry of a room in minutes and provide an immersive holodeck-like experience, such as projecting critters running up the walls to shoot or firing incoming 'missiles' to dodge.

A project from Microsoft's Redmond Campus in Washington called RoomAlive lets players create a virtual environment in their living room (shown). A system of six cameras projects moving images onto walls and surfaces. Example games include one where players have to dodge 'missiles'

RoomAlive is being developed by Projection Mapping Central at Microsoft's Redmond Campus in Washington.

The prototype technology can turn any room into an augment reality experience.

This includes games where the 'player' has to duck and weave from incoming fire, or strike enemies running along the walls.

The technology is the successor to a previous research project called IllumiRoom, which was essentially quite similar but more primitive, being limited to just projecting around a TV.

RoomAlive uses six Kinect sensors to track the movement of the player in the room.

A projector depth-camera unit known as a procam, meanwhile, uses a wide field of view projector, Kinect sensor and a computer to display the images on the walls.

This process is known as Projection Mapping, which can map light onto any surface and create virtual images, regardless of any objects in the way such as sofas or tables.

Using six such procams an entire room can be mapped and the virtual images can be placed over every object.

Incredible projector experience turns room into interactive game

The dynamic cameras (shown) can project on any surface and also take account for obstacles using a process called Projection Mapping. Examples for games include shooting enemies on walls using a gun

In the Star Trek fictional universe people would often travel to far-flung locations, or places they enjoyed visiting, by entering the holodeck (pictured) and asking the computer to create a virtual world for them. They were then free to interact with the world as they saw fit

Another feature of RoomAlive is that it doesn't require projections to be individually tailored to a specific room.

Instead, designers can create games independent of the room the content is displayed in.

And as the content is displayed in real-time, it can adapt to changing objects in the room.

One example shown is that it can create dynamic environments like running rivers and falling water that move around objects in the room.

In another example players battle enemies that appear on the walls, or even control a virtual character around the enemies.

While it is only a prototype for now, Star Trek and holodeck enthusiasts alike will be hoping for a public release in the future.

In one example game players are given a 'gun' (shown) and have to shoot enemies in augmented reality as they appear at different places around the room. Others can also 'hit' the enemies with their hands

The technology is the successor to a previous research project called IllumiRoom, which was essentially quite similar but more primitive. RoomAlive uses six Kinect sensors to track the movement of the player in the room and provide virtual environments in which they can interact (shown)