Microsoft Kinect For Windows v2 Arrives July 15, Preorders Now

Microsoft’s Kinect for Windows v2 sensor has a release date; you can get yours starting on July 15th. It’s been available for preorder for a month, and you can still claim one early if you like for $199.

This iteration of the Kinect for Windows has a new look that differentiates it from the first version, but Microsoft hopes devs see much more in v2. “The Kinect for Windows v2 sensor gives developers more of the precision, responsiveness, and intuitive capabilities they need to develop interactive voice- and gesture-based applications for the Windows desktop and Windows Store,” reads the product page.

Microsoft Kinect for Windows v2

The Kinect for Windows blog is a fountain of optimism and excitement over v2, and the team recently co-hosted a hackathon on New York City where more than 100 “hackers” from all over the world gathered to explore what the hardware and associated SDK can do.

For example, the winning team used Kinect for Windows to map HVAC and electrical in ceiling spaces, and runners up used it to control a robotic hand (which can be controlled with finger tracking) and enable 3D body scans for fitting clothes accurately, respectively.

More hackathons are scheduled for later this summer. Kinect for Windows v2 is a somewhat quiet release for Microsoft, but clearly it has a great deal of potential.