Kinect Gets Nearsighted With Windows-Specific SKU

Microsoft will soon introduce a Windows PC-specific version of its motion-sensing Kinect peripheral, with updated firmware allowing the depth camera to "see" much closer than before. According to the company, the new firmware allows the Kinect to see objects as close to 50 centimeters away without any accuracy or precision loss. The company is calling the new feature "Near Mode." According to Kinect for Windows general manager Craig Eisler, the new mode "will enable a whole new class of 'close up' applications, beyond the living room scenarios for Kinect for Xbox 360." The news follows the launch of the Kinect Accelerator Initiative, which will grant developers up to $20,000 to implement new business applications powered by the device. A beta version of the Kinect Windows SDK is currently available, with multi-core skeletal tracking just one of the features that is offered to developers.