Kinect was the name of Xbox 360’s motion-sensing camera accessory. Microsoft launched it in November 2010 as an add-on that let players control games and interact with the console using body movement and voice commands.
The device used an RGB camera, depth sensing, and microphones to track players without requiring a handheld controller. Kinect could identify body positions and follow movements such as waving, stepping, and swinging. Games designed around it included Kinect Adventures!, Kinect Sports, and Dance Central.
Kinect was originally announced under the development name Project Natal. The commercial name emphasized the device’s ability to connect players with games. It was sold both separately and in Xbox 360 bundles, and Microsoft later created a version for Xbox One.
Kinect should not be confused with the Xbox 360 Vision Camera, an earlier webcam accessory used mainly for video communication and a small number of games. Kinect represented a much broader motion-control system because it combined camera-based tracking with depth information and voice recognition.
The Xbox 360 Kinect requires players to stand in front of the sensor, unlike controller accessories that detect movement through a handheld device.