Kinect for Windows SDK Beta Refresh Available (via Microsoft Research Connections Blog)

Interest in the Kinect for Windows Software Development Kit (SDK)
beta, released on June 16, 2011, has been strong, and we’re delighted to learn
that so many developers and innovators who are experimenting with natural user
interface (NUI) applications have taken advantage of the SDK to explore the
potential of the Kinect sensor.

In support of our commitment to encourage researchers and
enthusiasts in their exploration of the exciting possibilities of the Kinect
sensor, we have now released a refreshed version of the SDK. The community has
provided us with a lot of good feedback, and this release addresses some of the
top items you’ve told us about.

Before summarizing the updates, let’s quickly recap the key
features of the Kinect for Windows SDK beta. This non-commercial SDK beta
enables human motion tracking, voice recognition, and depth sensing on PCs,
enabling developers to create innovative natural user interface applications.
The SDK includes drivers and rich APIs for raw sensor streams and natural user
interfaces, as well as installation documents and resource
materials.

So, what’s in the refresh?

• Driver enhancements: stability fixes to prevent crashes,
  including those that appear when a PC goes into sleep mode
• Runtime enhancements: refinements to a number of APIs,
  improvements in time-stamping, and the removal of non-functional APIs to
  alleviate confusion (they will be reinserted if and when the functionality
  becomes available in future releases)

The refresh also includes many improvements to the documentation,
including clarifications and the deletion of information pertaining to
non-functional components. Also, the SDK samples have been
enhanced.

If you’re an academic researcher or an enthusiast who wants to
take advantage of the latest developments in natural user interface
experimentation, we encourage you to learn more about and download the Kinect for Windows SDK beta refresh. We plan on releasing the next refresh of the Kinect for
Windows SDK beta later this year (still with a non-commercial
license).