Hacker disconnects Kinect from Microsoft's control
It seems we're one step closer to creating that Kinect-headed robot we've been dreaming of, as NUI Group's AlexP has managed to break through at least some of the software tying the device to the Xbox 360. As the videos below the fold show, the peripheral's "NUI motor" (Natural User Interface motor) is handled by a basic Windows 7 application allowing it to nod its head up and down (knowingly, we'd wager). Another video displays how Kinect handles color and depth, while a third shows us how Kinect sees us (thankfully, it doesn't classify what it sees as "edible" or "non-edible"). This comes just days after open-source developer Adafruit offered a cool $2K to the first person to bust through Kinect's locks.
Microsoft has responded accordingly, stating: "Microsoft does not condone the modification of its products. With Kinect, Microsoft built in numerous hardware and software safeguards designed to reduce the chances of product tampering. Microsoft will continue to make advances in these types of safeguards and work closely with law enforcement and product safety groups to keep Kinect tamper-resistant." Now all we have to do is wait for hackers to unlock for Kinect's love core and we've got ourselves an early Wall-E prototype in the making -- the head, anyway.
