Microsoft confirms 'Kinect for Windows' software development kit

by Steven Mostyn - Feb 22 2011, 19:15

Having already impressed its Xbox 360 user base with the Kinect gameplay system, American software giant Microsoft has confirmed that the controller-free interactive technology is expanding beyond the home-based console.

According to Redmond, it will release a non-commercial ‘Kinect for Windows’ software development kit (SDK) this coming spring, which will enable developers to create new uses that reach beyond the platform’s core usage as a gaming peripheral.

“[Kinect for Windows] will give academic researchers and enthusiasts access to key pieces of the Kinect system—such as the audio technology, system application programming interfaces and direct control of the Kinect sensor itself,” outlined Steve Clayton, director of cloud strategy at Microsoft, in an official blog post.

“The community that has blossomed since the launch of Kinect for Xbox 360 shows the breadth of invention and depth of imagination possible when people have access to ground-breaking technology,” he added. “Already, researchers, academics and enthusiasts are thinking through what’s next in natural and intuitive technology.”

In terms of potential benefits associated with the Kinect for Windows SDK, Microsoft was keen to highlight the creativity of the University of Washington’s Biorobotics Lab, which has combined Kinect with the Phantom Omni Haptic Device to develop sense-enabled robotic surgical procedures. 

Microsoft Kinect launched for the Xbox 360 in November of 2010, going on to ship a whopping eight million units during its first few months of retail availability.

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