In two months after Microsoft Kinect was launched, over 8 million copies were sold, which exceeded iPad sales in several times. The device took the second place in the “10 most innovative technical products of 2011” by the Popular mechanics magazine. That, however, is not surprising. Kinect technologies seem to take you to some other world, the world of Future, about which we have read in science fiction novels.

At first, Kinect, a motion sensing input device , was used as a game motion controller, but a serious challenge appeared as there was lack of applications and games, developed specially for this device. Besides, there were different restrictions in using Kinect, such as size of the room, number of active players, light and etc. So Kinect could have had not a gaudy lot, gathering dust as a fancy, but useless toy. Nevertheless, it turned out that has dozens of uses and applications of Kinect in different industries. For example, Spanish company TedCas developed an application for gesture-based operating room. There are also programs that help with rehabilitation for stroke patients or monitor gait of senior persons to prevent falls as well as to develop social skills for children with autism.

There also a lot of commercial applications nowadays on the basis of Kinect technologies. They can be used for example, as a new approach to marketing and advertising. With K-Visor – an application when passersby can stop in front of the shop window and start interaction with media files connected with some products and services just with gestures. And such applications as Shopper tracker , up-end marketing research. Thanks to motion sensor of Kinect, it is possible to create a picture with the most purchased goods and see where on the shelves these googs are placed without spending quite a lot of money on surveys. And with new version of Kinect 2.0, we hope that Kinect effect will only increase, inspiring further innovations.