How Kinect Is Revolutionizing Security, Surgery, and Ghost Hunting Today

In typical Microsoft fashion, the Xbox Kinect was a technological pioneer of its era, yet it seems almost unbelievable that this innovative device was discontinued given how common smart speakers and security cameras have become in households today. Remarkably, 15 years post-launch, the Kinect continues to thrive beyond its intended gaming purposes, finding new life in unexpected places such as supermarkets for surveillance or even aiding ghostbusting efforts, showcasing the enduring relevance of its advanced motion and audio capture technology.

Kinect at Walmart but not as we know it

About a couple of months back, I stumbled upon a Reddit post demonstrating that a Kinect was being utilized in Walmart for surveillance purposes.

When did Xbox start providing Kinects to Walmart for security? from r/xbox

At first glance, it seemed like a prank or fake news, but upon further investigation, I discovered that the Microsoft Kinect has actually been employed for security surveillance purposes as early as 2013, not just in Walmart stores, but also reportedly seen in operation at a local airport. This information was shared with me by a friend.

Kinect still being used in hospitals

Initially intended as a gaming device allowing users to interact with games through movements and voice commands, the Kinect has found significant value in medical settings, particularly in the operating room.

By employing the Kinect to view and manipulate images like CAT scans during surgeries, surgeons avoid disrupting sterility by having to move away from the operating table to a mouse and computer.

Surgeons can navigate through CAT scan slices by simply waving forward or backward, allowing them to closely examine anatomy without losing focus on the procedure.

There have been several medical papers published exploring potential uses for the Xbox Kinect, such as its ability to accurately analyze human walking patterns (gait).

Furthermore, the Kinect V2 sensor is considered a more affordable solution for motion tracking in various applications, including clinical settings and rehabilitation.

Life after death as the Kinect is used for ghosthunting

Remarkably, the Kinect device has been repurposed by paranormal investigators as a Structures Light Sensor (SLS) camera. This technology is capable of mapping three-dimensional environments and identifying forms resembling humans, which appear on the screen as stick figures. Ghost hunters employ this feature to detect supposed spirit entities that are invisible to the human eye. They interpret any unaccounted-for stick figures as indicators of paranormal activity. Scientist Jon Wood has written an intriguing article about ghost hunting tools, such as the Kinect, and even provided a picture demonstrating its application. However, he cautions that the Kinect may be capturing shapes in less than ideal conditions, essentially compensating for any missing details.

This DIY Kinect setup is explained by Wood and it consists of a rig, a computer (laptop), and a display screen. It’s more cost-effective compared to the pricier pre-made kinetic sets available on the market.

Following its appearance in Paranormal Activity 4, the Xbox Kinect gained popularity among ghost hunters, often used despite its unpredictable results. In some cases, stick figures were even assigned to vacuum cleaners using this technology.

Kinect for porn?

In 2010, a developer boasted about creating the first-ever Kinect sex game. However, Microsoft’s lawyers quickly squashed this idea. The game seemed eerie even in description, and likely wouldn’t have gained much traction regardless. Kyle Machulis, founder of an open-source library for controlling sex toys via Bluetooth and USB, and known for his work on Kinect reverse engineering, told The Guardian that the Kinect served more as a futuristic marketing tool rather than something useful for consumers.

Catching shoplifters, not dodgy dance moves

I have fond memories of the Xbox Kinect that are hard to forget. At my very first house party, I set it up and watched friends who weren’t typically into gaming trying out some amusing dance moves on Dance Central.

Disneyland Adventures was another hit in our household. It was a game set in an open-world theme park where my son moved around with ease, making us laugh because it felt like the closest we would ever get to a real Disneyland.

The Kinect’s primary use, however, was its convenience. The ability to simply say “Xbox on” and control the dashboard without a controller was amazing. Although smart speakers can mimic some of these functions, I’ve never found them as intuitive or reliable as Kinect was.

Perhaps it’s my local accent, but I often find myself having to repeat commands for Alexa to work correctly. With Kinect, it just worked.

Since the Kinect was discontinued in 2017, it has likely played a significant role in advancing motion-sensing and voice recognition technologies. It’s unfortunate that Microsoft can’t claim credit for those advancements.

It would have been fantastic if the combination of Kinect and Cortana (or CoPilot as it is now called) had become Xbox’s answer to the Amazon Echo.

Today, we even see gesture control in smartphones and tablets, along with more precise tracking technology in VR and AR devices. In some ways, Windows Hello’s facial recognition can be compared to the Kinect of old, although my laptop doesn’t have a Kinect inside it – just a little piece of it!

The Xbox Kinect lives on

Although the Xbox Kinect may not be as widely recognized as it once was, it continues to thrive in various manifestations.

From detecting theft at Walmart to aiding surgeons and even being part of ghost-hunting gear, it has definitely found its niche in diverse settings.

I’d be thrilled if it made a comeback in the gaming world, particularly for someone like me who finds virtual reality unsettling but appreciates interactive gaming based on movement. The idea of casting spells by waving my hands in Avowed sounds appealing.

The Kinect may not have fully realized its potential as a gaming device, but it has earned a place in history, and I’m glad to see it surviving, even in less traditional ways.

Long live the Xbox Kinect!

2025-03-06 18:57