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Kinect coming to computers with Windows development kit

Kinect is coming to your computer, with an official developer kit for Microsoft Kinect for Windows letting games makers use the hand-waving peripheral on PCs.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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Richard Trenholm

Kinect is coming to your computer. Microsoft is preparing a Kinect for Windows software development kit that will allow hackers, modders and developers to come up with new and wacky uses of the arm-waving Kinect controller on Windows PCs as well as the Xbox 360.

Kinect uses a sensor placed in front of a TV to capture your movements and make your Xbox game character perform the same actions. The official SDK will allow developers to work with Kinect's audio and system APIs and take direct control of the sensor, and it's likely to expand Kinect beyond gaming.

Developers won't be allowed to be make money from apps built with the kit, although a commercial kit may follow.

Since the Kinect connected with gamers late last year, hackers have come up with countless cool Kinect hacks, from 3D painting to ghostly music videos. Click play below to see the best video we've seen so far, for Catalina, a track off the Chocolat EP by Moullinex (no, not that Moulinex).

The SDK is being developed by Microsoft Research with Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business, the Xbox 360's parent group. There's no precise date for the SDK's release yet, but it will be available sometime this spring.