Kinect for Windows

Kinect experiences from NEC Corporation of America, Razorfish and FaceCake stood out at the National Retail Federation’s Annual Convention and Expo in New York City.

Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have created a system that “links together an Oculus Rift head-mounted display with the gesture-recognition capabilities of Kinect for Windows, enabling a person to manipulate the robotic arm with great precision simply by gesturing his or her real arm.”

Because of the program’s popularity, another 500 kits are being made available to those who want to bring their great ideas to life with the Kinect for Windows sensor and SDK. Applications must be completed and submitted by 9 a.m. PT, Jan. 31, 2014, but don’t wait until the last minute to apply, suggests the Kinect for Windows team.

The preview includes a pre-release Kinect for Windows v2 sensor, access to the new-generation Kinect for Windows software development kit (SDK), and ongoing updates and access to private program forums. Microsoft is making the sensor and SDK available to qualifying developers and designers now so they can create their new-generation applications in time for general availability next summer.

Ubi Interactive, a Seattle startup, provides the technology to transform any surface into an interactive touch screen. All you need is a computer running Ubi’s software, a projector and the Kinect for Windows sensor.