Microsoft on Wednesday released its Kinect for Windows 1.0 SDK, which is intended to take the Kinect sensor technology beyond entertainment and use it for things like healthcare.
At this point, the offering is focused more on businesses than consumers, but the idea is to have these companies or developers create Kinect-based products that will eventually hit the market or be used in the service industry.
The Kinect for Windows SDK is available for download now. Hardware is also shipping, but it will set you back $249; a $149 academic version is expected later this year. At this point, it's launching in 12 countries to start (United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom).
Microsoft first discussed the Kinect for Windows commercial program in November, and the program was one of only two announcements made during Steve Ballmer's recent (and last) CES keynote. Microsoft is already working with more than 200 partners, like United Health Group, Toyota, Telefonica, Mattel, American Express, and more, Ballmer said.
A beta version of Kinect for Windows was also released last year, and Microsoft today promised a variety of improvements to the program, from support for up to four Kinect sensors attached to the same computer to improve skeletal tracking.
Microsoft said it will release updates to its SDK and runtime about two to three times per year. "In fact, the team is already hard at work on the next release," said Craig Eisler, general manager of Kinect for Windows.
"Microsoft's ability to make these kinds of deep investments makes Kinect for Windows a product that companies can deploy with confidence, knowing you have our support and our ongoing commitment to make Kinect for Windows the best it can be," Eisler said.
Earlier this week, meanwhile, The Daily reported that it had seen what appeared to be two Asus laptops with a Kinect sensor built in, arrayed along the top of the screen.
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Microsoft has launched a version of Kinect, its voice and motion-controlled sensor, to work with Windows-based PCs.
It joins a previous version which was designed for the company's Xbox 360 games console.
The new hardware features a "near mode" which allows it to track movements as close as 40cm away, compared to 50cm on the original model.
However, the updated device costs nearly twice as much as the Xbox 360 version.
The sensor's UK price is yet to be confirmed, but in the US the Windows-compatible hardware's recommended price is $249 (£157).
By comparison the Xbox version is sold for $130 (£82).
Microsoft links the increase to enhanced features - including "skeletal tracking" and improved speech recognition - as well as the cost of developing a device that works across several systems, rather than a single games console.Scratched surface
Kinect for Windows' general manager Craig Eisler told the BBC that the company also subsidised the Xbox version and recouped the money from games and other related sales.
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"It's been just over a year since we launched Kinect for Xbox 360, and we're only starting to scratch the surface of what's possible," said Mr Eisler.
"The sky's the limit. We're doing a testing and adoption programme with 300 companies around the world. They're doing things that we would never think of - from the oil industry, to training, to manufacturing."
Suggested uses include allowing surgeons to navigate body scans in an operating room by waving their hands, and letting young children control educational programs by pointing at a computer screen.'Technology winner'
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Microsoft have only began to scratch the surface fo what kinect can do.