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Kinect for Windows SDK Beta

Helping developers unleash the power of Kinect for PCs

Be part of the movement: Download the Kinect for Windows SDK beta

A beta version of the Kinect for Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) is now available, making it easier for developers to experiment with natural user interfaces (NUI). The SDK is designed to enable the community of developers, academic researchers, and enthusiasts to build compelling applications that include depth sensing, human motion tracking, and voice recognition by using Kinect technology on Windows. The non-commercial SDK can be downloaded at no cost for the development of non-commercial applications.

The Kinect for Windows SDK beta, which works with Windows 7, includes drivers, rich APIs for raw sensor streams and natural user interfaces, installation documents, and resource materials. It provides Kinect capabilities to developers who build applications with C++, C#, or Visual Basic by using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010.

SDK Features

  • Raw Sensor Streams: Access to raw data streams from the depth sensor, color camera sensor, and four-element microphone array allows developers to build upon the low-level streams that are generated by the Kinect sensor.
  • Skeletal Tracking: The capability to track the skeleton image of one or two people moving within the Kinect field of view makes it easy to create gesture-driven applications.
  • Advanced Audio Capabilities: Audio processing capabilities include sophisticated acoustic noise suppression and echo cancellation, beam formation to identify the current sound source, and integration with the Windows speech recognition API.
  • Sample Code and Documentation: The SDK contains more than 100 pages of technical documentation. In addition to built-in help files, the documentation includes detailed walkthroughs for most samples provided with the SDK.
  • Easy Installation: The SDK quickly installs, requires no complex configuration, and the complete installer size is smaller than 100 MB. Developers can get up and running in just a few minutes with a standard standalone Kinect sensor unit (widely available at retail outlets). 

The Kinect for Windows SDK beta advances Microsoft’s long-term vision for natural user interaction. It was developed by Microsoft Research in close collaboration with the Interactive Entertainment Business division, the Microsoft product group that brought you the Kinect for Xbox 360. This SDK is designed for non-commercial purposes only; a commercial version is expected to be available at a later date.

 
Kinect for Windows SDK Beta

Download the Kinect for Windows SDK beta and get release announcements, updates, news, and more.

 
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