Kinect 2.0 for Windows coming in 2014
The new Kinect will hit PC after the Xbox One's launch
Microsoft has announced that the all-new Kinect will be coming to Windows PCs next year. The new Kinect features a 1080p color camera, an infrared sensor, and improved skeletal tracking. Kinect for Windows director Bob Heddle said that the new sensor and software development kit are integral to Microsoft's plan to expand Kinect's reach to businesses and other groups outside of gaming.
"We're continuing our commitment to equipping businesses and organizations with the latest natural technology from Microsoft so that they, in turn, can develop and deploy innovative touch-free applications for their businesses and customers," wrote Heddle in a blog post on the Microsoft Developer Network.
"Both the new Kinect sensor and the new Kinect for Windows sensor are being built on a shared set of technologies. The precision and intuitive responsiveness that the new platform provides will accelerate the development of voice and gesture experiences on computers."
Even before its commercial license release, the Kinect was popular with hackers and researchers. The company also found Kinect success in medical research focused on surgery and therapy techniques.
Heddle said that Microsoft will be showing off more about the new Kinect for Windows at the BUILD 2013 conference in June.
[Image via The Verge]