Microsoft has welcomed with open arms the hackers and academics who are tinkering with its Kinect motion-sensing system for the Xbox 360. Everyone from students to researchers are finding new uses for the technology beyond the game console. Now Microsoft and TechStars are teaming up to create an accelerator that will promote startups using Kinect for commercial applications.
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The Seattle-based program will require that TechStars will get a 6 percent stake in the startup. The goal is to create businesses that leverage Kinect for Xbox or Windows. The goal is to take advantage of some of the creative energy that was unleashed in the program when hackers circumvented Kinect’s security system. Microsoft later released a software development kit to exploit Kinect.