I’ve often wondered if the folks at Microsoft ever seriously considered all the potential uses and mods its Kinect platform for the Xbox 360 would be subjected to.
As previously discussed on TG Daily, Kinect sensors have been hacked to do all sorts of things that really aren’t related to Microsoft’s flagship gaming console. Then again, the inherent versatility of the Kinect is what helped the accessory become so popular and break a world record for sales.
Sure, versatility is one thing, but achieving more precise motion controls is quite another. Yet that is what 3Gear Systems has done by taking a pair of Microsoft Kinect sensors and developing an SDK for incredibly precise tracking of a user’s hands when sitting at a desktop computer.
Essentially, the system allows the user to have complete control over a 3D virtual environment, which as the video illustrates, can be used for 3D modeling and gaming. Indeed, the system is capable of tracking minute hand movements with incredible precision and accuracy.
The SDK is in public beta right now, and until November 30, it’s free of charge for anyone to download. After November 30, large companies will be required to pay for a license to continue tinkering and working with the SDK. However, 3Gear Systems will continue to allow small companies and individual users to access the SDK with no fees.
Personally, I can definitely see a tracking system like this being beneficial in a medical environment, and of course it offers amazing gaming potential, as we can see by the precise sword tracking in the video.
