Microsoft's Bringing Official Kinect Drivers and SDK

The Kinect is huge in the hacking community for building applications outside the Xbox 360 system that are still able to be controlled by the Kinect. However, reports indicate now that Microsoft is planning to release Windows drivers for it, and a software development kit which will allow third parties to develop any Windows software to include Kinect control support. "Microsoft is set to unveil driver support and an SDK in the coming months and will allow third-party developers to create titles that utilize the Kinect sensor when plugged into a PC," writes blogger Tom Warren. "According to sources familiar with the plans, Microsoft will distribute the drivers under the 'beta' tag."

When the Kinect first came out, it was red hot with the hackers, using it to control World of Warcraft with your body and even robots with your body. Opening up the Kinect is clearly the correct route to take for Microsoft. All along it was missing out on a significant market opportunity by not being open to third-party enhancements. However, if Microsoft can get the drivers and SDK out soon, the fact that the Kinect was locked at launch can be forgotten.