[NewsPoster]

Microsoft is introducing hand recognition and 3D modelling in real time to the Kinect for Windows. An update for version 1.7 of the Kinect for Windows software development kit will be available to download on March 18th, and also marks the first time that Microsoft will be releasing code samples for the SDK through CodePlex.

Kinect Fusion introduces the ability to create live 3D models in real-time, including models of human beings and physical objects, according to Engadget. The Kinect Sensor can be moved around the object to scan and build the model, with the final model file able to be exported and used in other applications.

Kinect Interactions will expand the roster of gestures available to developers, as the company found developers used the Kinect for basic UI navigation more frequently than expected. The additional control provided by the Kinect for Windows sensor compared to the Xbox version allows for smaller interactions to be identified, such as "push to press" buttons instead of hovering over a button and waiting, as well as two-person interactions and accommodating multiple users.

Previous updates for the free Kinect for Windows SDK included seated tracking and facial expression recognition.