First public Kinect apps for Windows 8.1 launched in Windows Store

Alongside the launch of the new Xbox One Kinect sensor adapter for Windows 8 and 8.1 PC, Microsoft has also announced that the first public Modern apps that make use of the Kinect hardware are now available for download in the Windows Store.

kinect evolution

One of the apps, Kinect Evolution, is published by Microsoft itself, and has been designed to give other app developers some help in making their own software that will work with the sensor.

Yakit app

Another Kinect app, YAKiT, comes from developer Freak'n Genius, and allows anyone to animated photos using their own voice. Here's a quick bullet list of its features:

  • Add expressive animated stickers to customize the photos - including blinking eyes, talking mouths, props, characters, and special effects
  • Change the pitch of your voice to make it even funnier
  • Create your own mouth from your photo that talks when you talk
  • Start with a new photo, a picture saved on your computer or tablet, or search the web right within YAKiT
  • Tell a story or a joke by stringing several photos together into a longer video
  • Save videos directly to your computer or tablet, or send directly from YAKiT
  • Download YAKiT from the Windows Store

3d builder app

Finally, Microsoft has updated its previously released 3D Builder app to include support for Kinect. The update allows users to scan objects or even people via Kinect to turn them into 3D models that can then be brought into the real world via a 3D printer.

Microsoft has also launched the final version of its Kinect for Windows v2 SDK, which should allow any app maker to support Kinect in their Windows 8.1 app. Do you think this could be a big help for app developers on Windows 8?

Source: Microsoft Blog

John Callaham