v1.0 Kinect for Windows SDK now available

| Aimee Sprung

Microsoft today announced the availability of version 1.0 of the Kinect for Windows SDK and runtime. Distribution partners in twelve launch countries are starting to ship Kinect for Windows hardware, enabling companies to start to deploy their solutions. The suggested retail price is $249, and later this year, Microsoft will offer special academic pricing of $149 for Qualified Educational Users.

Version 1.0 includes many improvements over the prior beta version:

  • Support for up to four Kinect sensors plugged into the same computer
  • Significantly improved skeletal tracking, including the ability for developers to control which user is being tracked by the sensor
  • Near Mode for the new Kinect for Windows hardware, which enables the depth camera to see objects as close as 40 centimeters in front of the device
  • Many API updates and enhancements in the managed and unmanaged runtimes
  • The latest Microsoft Speech components (V11) are now included as part of the SDK and runtime installer
  • Improved “far-talk” acoustic model that increases speech recognition accuracy
  • New and updated samples, such as Kinect Explorer, which enables developers to explore the full capabilities of the sensor and SDK, including audio beam and sound source angles, color modes, depth modes, skeletal tracking, and motor controls
  • A commercial-ready installer which can be included in an application’s set-up program, making it easy to install the Kinect for Windows runtime and driver components for end-user deployments.
  • Robustness improvements including driver stability, runtime fixes, and audio fixes

Locally, developers and hobbyists have been experimenting with Kinect resulting in some really cool projects and also the founding of the Kinect Boston user group. This group (with already has grown to 50+ members in just a few weeks) brings together Kinect users and developers in the greater Boston to share experiences, cool demos, and learn about developing with Microsoft’s Kinect sensor and related products.

Here are two videos that feature Kinect innovations:

Kinect BeatWheel Made for Boston Music Hack Day 2011

YouTube Video

Microsoft Kinect Effect Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_QLguHvACs

 

 

Aimee Sprung

To keep up with Aimee you need to be up early. Like 5 AM early. Then you have to squeeze in Crossfit, grow STEM education programs, collaborate with community leaders and still keep up with her family - 2 boys require high energy. Or you can hit the snooze and sleep soundly knowing Aimee has that all covered.