Hacker devises Kinect motion-capture solution

Kinect hacks are fast turning into their very own genre, it seems – who needs that baby-time Kinect Adventures when you can hook it up to power a quadrotor deathcopter of justice instead?

The latest thing on the Kinect hacking scene was probably always inevitable, but that’s not to say it isn’t all kinds of awesome anyway.

Dutchman Jasper Brekelmans has written a Kinect hack that jacks the device into industry-standard motion-capture software, MotionBuilder, providing real-time mo-cap in the comfort and privacy of your own lounge.

In a video demo posted on YouTube, Jasper calibrates Kinect’s cameras within his own custom app, then launches MotionBuilder and streams his movement into the second app. Then turns himself into an animated blue alien for good measure.

With only a single device, this hack is necessarily somewhat limited – although it’s more than adequate for hobbyist animators and game developers for example. It is certainly several infinities cheaper than a professional mo-cap studio session.

Discuss Xbox 360 Kinect motion capture on the MyGaming forum.