Microsoft has revealed images and more details about its next-generation Kinect for Windows.
The Redmond software giant posted photos of the Kinect for Windows v2 in a blog post Thursday as it prepares to launch the motion-tracking sensor sometime this year.
The design mimics that of the Xbox One’s Kinect, with a few minor changes: There’s a “Kinect” emblem on the top panel, and the Xbox Nexus on the right side has been changed to small circular power indicator.
You can see the device’s hub and power supply to the right. The hub accepts three connections — the sensor, USB 3.0 output to PC, power — while the power supply will support voltages from 100-to-240 volts, depending on the region.
No pricing or launch dates were given, though Microsoft announced last year that the Kinect for Windows v2 would arrive at some point in 2014, bringing with it several improvements from v1 such as improved skeletal tracking and higher fidelity. Back in May, then-Director of Kinect for Windows Bob Heddle told us that the new Kinect would “dramatically benefit” companies using the device, from interactive retail experiences, rehabilitation and fitness, and education uses cases.
“We really see Kinect as the eyes and ears of computers,” Heddle said. “The new capabilities will let computers be much smarter and let them better understand the people in the room.”
Microsoft launched its Kinect for Windows v2 Developer Preview Program this past summer.
