14 Amazing Microsoft Kinect Hacks

1. Going Beyond the Xbox 360 2. Basic Hacking Setup 3. KinEmote: Bringing Kinect Hacking to All 4. The Digital Torch 5. Did Someone Say Street Fighter? 6. World of KinectCraft 7. Kinect of Duty? Call of Kinect?

8. A Different kind of Kinectcraft 9. Kinect to the Choppa! 10. Kinect and Virtual Reality 11. The Human-Kinect MIDI Connection 12. Holograms on the Cheap 13. Saving Lives Followed by Dance Central 14. Reserved

---

1. Going Beyond the Xbox 360

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.



With over eight million units sold in the first two months, Microsoft has hit a home run with its Kinect camera for the Xbox 360. From the ever-growing library of software to the voice- and motion control for the 360 UI, the Kinect is thus far doing its job by effectively extending the life of the Xbox 360 beyond the six years the console has already been out.

But the Kinect is rapidly evolving beyond the Xbox 360, as an entire community has emerged to re-purpose the hardware for a multitude of new projects. The closest correlation is rooting or “jailbreaking” a smartphone, as the majority of modders aren’t changing the hardware itself but are instead creating new software. While some projects are one-off ideas brought to life, others are creating easy-to-use software that give anyone with a Kinect and a PC a plethora of new uses. These Kinect hacks go beyond entertainment (although the bulk are for that exact purpose), and some are even helping to save lives.



At this point there are dozens, even hundreds, of hacked Kinect projects, so we’re going to focus on 14 of the most interesting, thoughtful, and hilarious hacks out today.

2. Basic Hacking Setup

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.



Before we get into each unique project, let’s take a look at what is actually involved in these Kinect hacks.

The obvious piece of hardware that you’ll need is a Kinect itself. You can buy a Kinect on its own for $149.99, or bundled with a 4 GB ($299.99) or 250 GB ($399.99) Xbox 360. The Kinect has two connections, and both are USB-based. The connection for data is vanilla USB 2.0, while the power connection is a modified, orange-accented USB connector. The latter can only connect to the newer “slim” Xbox 360 models, but the Kinect comes with a wall adapter so you can grab power from a standard wall socket when using the camera with an older Xbox 360 model.

Because data is sent over an unmodified USB 2.0 connection, this makes the Kinect a perfect companion for any computer under the sun when it comes to hacking. Most of the hacks you’ll see are done with a PC running Linux or Windows, but a few are based off a Mac platform. So you have your Kinect and a computer to hack it with…what’s next? Unfortunately this is where the fans are separated from the hardcore, as nearly all of the hacks we are looking at require some programming knowledge. Some of the languages used are Python, Java and C++. Because none of these hacks really require any hardware modifications, there is little to no (mostly the latter) risk of damaging your Kinect camera if you decide to take the hacker plunge.

Lastly, you’ll need…well whatever else tickles your fancy. A lot of these hacks are done with the aforementioned and nothing else, but some include projectors, Wii Remotes, and other hardware components. Ultimately it comes down to what you’re trying to accomplish, but it’s a good idea to start off small and simple and work your way up. It’s also worth noting that a Kinect SDK (Software Development Kit) is rumored to be in the works and might hit the Web this summer. The SDK allow indie game developers to create Kinect-enabled titles for the Xbox 360, and since a lot of titles for the platform are developed via Windows, it has the potential to impact Kinect hacks, too.

While this doesn't count as an official SDK, PrimeSense has come out with some Kinect drivers, dubbed OpenNI, that are proving quite useful for the hacking community. PrimeSense is the company that manufactured the original Kinect prototype hardware (back when it was still called Project Natal), so these drivers work seamlessly with Kinect.

3. KinEmote: Bringing Kinect Hacking to All

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.

The first hack we’re looking at is something everyone can use, regardless of programming know-how. Called KinEmote, the software package is ready to go without any sort of modifications and works with “thousands of Windows applications,” most notably Windows Media Center, PowerPoint and even Angry Birds.


One of the marquee features of Kinect on the Xbox 360 is menu navigation through hand gestures, so instead of using the D-Pad or joystick to go through the main 360 UI, a simple swipe of the hand can bring you to your destination. KinEmote now offers the same features for Windows Media Center, XBMC, and Boxee. There is also a new super-precise mouse control option that lets you left-click the mouse cursor by closing your hand, and you can even drag and drop using this technique.

Games are another selling point for KinEmote, as demonstrated by this Angry Birds video.

4. The Digital Torch

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.



From the simple to the very complex we go, as this virtual dynamic light hack is impressive to say the least. Elliot Woods took one of the general principles of how the Kinect works - mapping out a 3D space like your living room - and added light. This kind of augmented reality allows the light to shine off of real-world objects in a virtual space, complete with light dissipation and dynamic shadows.

Elliot has made his hand the “light source” in the above video and the effects of that light change as he moves around the room. He can even throw light on command, resembling the famous Hadouken move from the Street Fighter franchise.

5. Did Someone Say Street Fighter?

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.

While the previous hack let you shoot your own virtual Hadouken, this hack puts you up against the best that the Street Fighter tournament has to offer. This hack, shown off by YouTube user “demize2010” is a motion-controlled PC version of Street Fighter IV. From kicking and punching to…yes, even throwing your beloved Hadouken. The project combines some scripting done by the video maker and USC’s FAAST (Flexible Action and Articulated Skeleton Toolkit) program.

6. World of KinectCraft

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.


As if the page name wasn’t obvious enough, someone has indeed made it possible to play WoW using the Kinect camera.

This hack comes from the same FAAST team at USC whose OpenNI-based tech helped with the aforementioned Street Fighter IV hack. The control scheme is simple enough, as you lean forward to walk and use your right arm to initate attacks and perform other tasks. Granted this isn’t anything close to whatever uber micro skills some of you guys possess, but it’s still cool to watch someone cast spells and buff teammates through some simple body movements.

7. Kinect of Duty? Call of Kinect?

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.


Of course Kinect hackers are going to integrate the hardware into latest and greatest games, so it comes as no surprise that the Call of Duty franchise is getting some Kinect love. This is another hack from that demize2010 chap, and this time he’s also brought his Wii Remote.

Through what appears to be some serious programming chops, demise has tweaked the PC version of Call of Duty 4; he uses the Wii Remote and Nunchuk for basic aiming, firing and moving controls while using the Kinect to lean, crouch, change weapons and melee. Slicing and dicing virtual enemies sounds a lot more fun when it takes more than pressing a bumper or trigger, don’t you agree?

8. A Different kind of Kinectcraft

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.


No, this is not another WoW-centric Kinect hack. Rather it focuses on a newer game with a huge cult following: Minecraft.

Minecraft is a sandbox lover’s dream game. You can create nearly anything, from computers to castles to…giant statues rendered with a Kinect. Nathan Viniconis’ Kinect-fueled Minecraft tweak allows you to create in-game statues and monuments, based on whatever the Kinect camera can see. From yourself to your buddies, even your pet cat can get in on the action. Plus, you can re-color/re-skin the structure using any of the patterns in the game. Now when your friends visit your tiny little corner of the Minecraft world…they can be greeted by a giant rainbow-colored statue of you.

9. Kinect to the Choppa!

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.


Let’s be honest…who doesn’t LOVE Predator? From Jesse Ventura being a complete bad-ass to Carl Weathers attempt at redemption, the film really is a timeless classic. The best part is the Predator, of course, and its coolest feature is...well it’s probably the shoulder-mounted cannon…but for the sake of this article we’re going to pretend that it’s the active camouflage.

Japanese Kinect lover Takayuki Fukatsu took the Kinect’s 3D space mapping to the extreme by mapping out his room, and using that map to eliminate himself from the equation. Granted you can see his shimmer, much like a certain Predator terrorizing the Central American jungles, but this is one stealthy hack! The programming is based on the C++ openFrameworks toolkit.

10. Kinect and Virtual Reality

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.


This next hack might be our favorite (or at least tied for the honor) out of the whole bunch. This Kinect hacker, dubbed “Nao_u” has combined the Kinect, a Wiimote and some Vuzix VR920 glasses to create his own version of virtual reality.

The Wiimote is strapped to a fake P90 submachinegun, with the former sending information to the computer and Kinect camera. The Vuzix shades project the virtual world right into your eyes, and then it’s up to you to paintball the living daylights out of a bunch of anime-looking characters. The Vuzix shades themselves are also tracked, so when you move your head left and right, the virtual world corresponds. Complex? Very, but it’s also one of the most ingenious Kinect hacks we’ve seen to date.

11. The Human-Kinect MIDI Connection

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.


In this hack, we see the Kinect change the way one can create music on a computer. YouTube user Shinyless has integrated Kinect into his FruityLoops software (again thanks to OpenNI). The interface creates a basic skeleton based on your body, which can then interact with two large augmented-reality buttons that produce different kinds of beats (essentially a bass drum and snare). Your left hand controls the pitch, making you look like Christina Aguilera when she raises her hand to “help” hit those high notes.

12. Holograms on the Cheap

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.


When you think about holograms, Star Wars and…well science fiction in general probably come to mind. Thankfully the folks over at MIT’s Media Lab are bringing holograms one step closer to the consumer’s living room, thanks in large part to the Kinect.

Current holographic technology is very limited, requiring over a dozen cameras while the end result is an image rendered at only a handful of frames per second. The Object-Based Media Group within the Media Lab at MIT has repurposed a Kinect camera, and the end result is an inexpensive hologram generator that produces an 15fps image. It’s hard to grasp the tech in the above video, but that’s a real working hologram video display, powered by standard PC hardware on one end an Kinect camera and laptop on the other.

The best part of this whole project is that it was put together in a very short period of time. As MIT reports, the Media Lab didn’t get a Kinect camera until December, which means this relatively simple setup was achieved in a matter of weeks. We’re excited to see what happens over the course of a few months, or an entire year for that matter. This Kinect hack is certainly in the top two on our list.

13. Saving Lives Followed by Dance Central

With a Kinect camera, PC and some programming know-how, hackers around the globe are taking Microsoft's hot peripheral beyond the Xbox 360.


It’s true that most of our Kinect hacks are for playing games, but the Kinect is just as useful when it comes to more “real world” applications. The medical industry has taken a shine to the Kinect, with augmented reality skeletons and MRI scan manipulation being the tip of the iceberg.


The Kinect is even assisting in surgery. Some procedures are done with robotic arms nowadays, but the problem with robots is they don’t give any sort of physical feedback to the doctor controlling them. The Kinect can assist in offering force feedback, which can let the doctor know if he’s brushing up against a funny bone that he shouldn’t be touching the first place. According to the University of Washington, such hardware would cost roughly $50,000 if the Kinect wasn’t involved.