Kinect facts for kids
Kinect is a special device made by Microsoft for their Xbox 360 and Xbox One video game consoles. It lets you play games and control your console without needing a controller! Kinect uses cameras and a special microphone to see and hear you. It also uses smart computer programs to tell the difference between a person and other things.
Kinect was first shown in May 2009 and has won many awards. It lets you use your body to control games, movies, and more. You can wave your hand to move through menus. Or, you can use your whole body to control a character in a game. Kinect was amazing because it was the first way to play games without a traditional controller.
Kinect came out in stores in late 2010. It cost about $150. You could also buy it bundled with a new Xbox 360 S console and a game called Kinect Adventures!. Microsoft hoped Kinect would make people play Xbox 360 for longer. They also hoped it would start a new trend of using televisions, computers, and games with just hands and voices. The PlayStation Move for the PlayStation 3 console was Kinect's main rival.
Kinect was named the "Fastest selling consumer electronics device" by the Guinness World Records. It sold about 133,333 units every day. In its first 60 days, it sold a total of 8 million units!
A newer version of the Kinect sensor came out with the Xbox One console on November 22, 2013. However, in October 2017, Microsoft stopped making Xbox One Kinect devices. The Xbox One Kinect now mostly works only for games, not for the main Xbox One menu.
How Does Kinect Work?
Kinect uses special cameras to see your body. It can tell where your head, arms, and legs are. This lets the console know how you are moving. The device also has a microphone that can hear your voice commands. This means you can tell the Xbox what to do just by speaking.
Kinect uses clever computer programs to understand what it sees and hears. It can tell if you are jumping, waving, or leaning. This allows games to respond to your natural movements. It's like the Xbox can see and understand your actions!
History and Impact
Kinect was a big step forward in how people play video games. Before Kinect, almost all games needed a controller. Kinect changed that by letting players use their own bodies. This made gaming more active and new.
When Kinect first came out, it was very popular. Selling so many units so quickly showed how excited people were about controller-free gaming. It inspired other companies to think about new ways to interact with technology. Even though Microsoft stopped making new Kinect devices, its ideas still influence how we use technology today.
Images for kids
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Steven Spielberg (right) joining Don Mattrick to present "Project Natal" at E3 2009
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A January 2010 promotional banner indicating the expected release of Kinect (then "Project Natal") by holiday 2010
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Promotion at E3 2010
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A demonstration of a third-party use of Kinect at Maker Faire. The visualization on the left, provided through Kinect, is of a user with a jacket featuring wearable electronic controls for VJing
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See also
In Spanish: Kinect para niños
