Microsoft reveals Kinect for Windows v2 design, getting 'closer and closer' to launch

Microsoft is getting "closer and closer" to launching the Kinect for Windows v2, according to a post on the official Kinect for Windows Blog, which offers a first look at the new hardware and its components.

The sensor's design is similar to that of the Kinect for Xbox One. It sports a "Kinect" on the top panel and a conservative power indicator replacing the console's Xbox Nexus branding.

The new sensor requires hub and the power supply to operate. The hub can support three connections, including the sensor, USB 3.0 output to PC and power, while the power supply supports voltages from 100-240 volts.

Developed with a shared set of technologies as the console version, the new Kinect features higher fidelity with an HD color camera and a noise-isolating multi-microphone array to filter ambient sounds. Microsoft's proprietary Time-of-Flight technology, an expanded field of view, improved skeletal tracking and new active infrared are also integrated into the second version.

Director of Kinect for Windows, Bob Heddle, revealed last May that the new-generation Kinect sensor was set to launch in 2014 shortly after Microsoft confirmed its existence the day of the Xbox One's reveal.

"Just as the new Kinect sensor will bring opportunities for revolutionizing gaming and entertainment, the new Kinect for Windows sensor will revolutionize computing experiences," Heddle wrote at the time.

Development studio Apache recently released a video of a face swap demo experimenting with some of the Kinect for Windows v2 sensor and SDK features.