Well, that was quick. Microsoft’s Kinect device for the Xbox 360 only launched last Thursday, and already the hackers have broken its security. No doubt spurred on by this offer of a $2,000 prize , the first open source Kinect driver hack appeared early Sunday morning, via renowned hacker Alex P.
The video below shows a Kinect camera being operated on a normal PC – specificially its motorised head. What does this actually mean ? Well, the always excellent Digital Foundry speculates that:
“Kinect’s ability to see in 3D and “hear” so precisely while consuming a relatively miniscule 18 watts of power makes it the perfect device to add to a homemade robot.”
So basically, it’s the fatal human/robot war we’ve all seen coming, and we all know how that ends up. THANKS A LOT HACKER JERKS. If you need me, I’ll be in the garden fortifying my bunker.
[ NUI Group Forums , via Adafruit , via Gizmodo]