14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has revealed a few details about the design and engineering process through which its new Kinect motion and voice sensor went before it was released onto the market, process that ensured the device would keep working even after serious abuse.
Microsoft's Kinect sensor has been a huge success, managing to set a new world record for the fastest selling electronics device ever, while delivering, alongside the Xbox 360, some rather interesting experiences.
The company has now revealed a glimpse into the design process of the Kinect, admitting that the device is a bit over-engineered, in order to ensure that it would keep working even when put through all kinds of abuse by users or other agents, like nature or the shipping process.
"We knew this thing was going to be viewed as a toy and so it was going to be abused," said engineer Scott McEldowney, via VentureBeat.
As such, the Kinect can still work even when faced with physical abuse, like being dropped on concrete, thrown around or hit with various objects, as well as electrical issues like surviving surges of power or lightning.
"Kinect had to be approachable," said Microsoft engineer Dawson Yee. "It had to be easy to set up and work like magic. You plug it in, and it works. You had to test it by dropping it on concrete. That was the level of robustness."
Microsoft allocated lots of resources for its engineers to build such a tough device in order to avoid repeating the mistakes of the first-generation Xbox 360 consoles, which were prone to breaking down, resulting in the so-called Red Ring of Death. These errors became infamous and Microsoft needed to release several hardware upgrades before the Xbox 360 became stable enough to satisfy consumers.
Now, with the Kinect, it seems that the company learned its lesson and is reaping the benefits of releasing a quality product, especially ahead of a new holiday season that seems to once again see customers opt for the Xbox 360 and Kinect devices.