On Thursday of last week, we launched the Kinect for Windows SDK Beta.  In case you missed it, the entire Kinect launch event was recorded and is now posted at http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/KinectSDK/BetaLaunch. 

You can download the Kinect SDK from here.  When getting started, I highly recommend the Kinect QuickStarts, a series of short videos that walk you through the basics.  

Finally, check out the main Kinect page at http://research.microsoft.com/kinectsdk.  It contains a great overview of the Kinect features, documentation and code walkthroughs, and forums for asking questions, getting answers, and providing feedback to the team. 

 

Code Libraries

Kinect SDK download: http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/kinectsdk/download.aspx

Coding4Fun Kinect Toolkit (a handy developer API for Windows Forms and WPF, for things like converting a byte[] array to a bitmap or getting the distance of a particular pixel in one line of code): http://c4fkinect.codeplex.com/

 

Videos

Kinect Beta Launch On-Demand Sessions: http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/KinectSDK/BetaLaunch

• My favorite session during the launch was Programming The Kinect for Windows SDK Beta with Dan Fernandez & Gavin Jancke. 

Kinect for Windows Quickstarts: http://channel9.msdn.com/series/KinectSDKQuickstarts (NOTE: you can also download all of the zipped Quickstart videos from http://files.ch9.ms/coding4fun/KinectForWindowsSDKQuickstarts.zip):

• Installing and Using the Kinect Sensor: http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/KinectSDKQuickstarts/Understanding-Kinect-Hardware
• Setting up your Development Environment: http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/KinectSDKQuickstarts/Getting-Started
• Skeletal Tracking Fundamentals: http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/KinectSDKQuickstarts/Skeletal-Tracking-Fundamentals
• Camera Fundamentals: http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/KinectSDKQuickstarts/Camera-Fundamentals
• Working with Depth Data: http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/KinectSDKQuickstarts/Working-with-Depth-Data
• Audio Fundamentals: http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/KinectSDKQuickstarts/Audio-Fundamentals

 

Samples

Kinect for Windows SDK VB Samples: http://files.ch9.ms/coding4fun/KinectSDKSamplesVB.zip

Coding4Fun Kinect Project Gallery: http://channel9.msdn.com/coding4fun/kinect/

• Light Saber project (augmented reality WPF C# application with XNA that adds a Sith light saber to your left hand): http://channel9.msdn.com/coding4fun/kinect/Of-course-our-first-Kinect-for-Windows-SDK-Project-has-to-involve-a-Light-Saber
• Jellybean project (Kinect-enabled drivable lounge chair): http://channel9.msdn.com/coding4fun/kinect/Jellybeans-are-not-just-for-breakfast-anymore
• Mouse Cursor project (use the Kinect skeletal tracking feature to move the mouse cursor with your hands): http://channel9.msdn.com/coding4fun/kinect/Kinect-Mouse-Cursor
• Kinect Paint project (skeleton tracking application that allows you to become the paint brush): http://channel9.msdn.com/coding4fun/projects/Kinect-Paint

 

Documentation

Programming Guide: Getting Started with the Kinect for Windows SDK Beta

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started and Code Walkthroughs

Forums