Kinect (codenamed
Project Natal during development) is a line of
motion sensing input devices produced by
Microsoft and first released in 2010. The technology includes a set of hardware originally developed by
PrimeSense, incorporating
RGB cameras,
infrared projectors and detectors that mapped depth through either
structured light or
time of flight calculations, and a microphone array, along with software and
artificial intelligence from Microsoft to allow the device to perform real-time
gesture recognition,
speech recognition and body skeletal detection for up to four people, among other capabilities. This enables Kinect to be used as a hands-free
natural user interface device to interact with a computer system. Kinect is a
peripheral that sits atop the user's display similar to a
webcam. Kinect brings games and entertainment to life in extraordinary new ways - no controller required. Easy to use and instantly fun, Kinect gets everyone off the couch moving, laughing and cheering. See a ball? Kick it. Control an HD movie with a wave of the hand. Want to join a friend in the fun? Simply jump in. With Kinect technology evaporates, letting the natural magic in all of us shine.