That's pretty cool. Although it does have a PC on board (Atom based). Technically it could be running Linux and not Windows and therefore would use Open Source drivers and code for Kinect.

It would have been more accurate for me to say that if you wanted to use the official Kinect SDK from Microsoft, then you would need to be running Windows 7 or 8 on a PC that is connected to the Kinect device by USB.

That design i seen before and is uses linux ROS software,that needs less processing power then windows. ROS has drivers for LIDAR laser that goes for $1200 and KINECT.

@Mike, since ARC requires Windows it should be a given that so will the Kinect additions anyway, although the clarification may aid others.

Is there no way for the Kinect to wirelessly transmit the data to the PC with any kind of add on? Wireless USB hub for instance?

A further downside to the Kinect is the power demand it has, although correct me if I am wrong but isn't the stated power demand including the tilt motor too? Without motor (or requirement for moving it) the power demand is drastically decreased if I recall correctly?

Thats right. Power is used for the motor, but the wall outlet can be replaced with a battery pack

Here's a project where someone used batteries to run the Kinect. Even without the motor, the Kinect uses a fair amount of power for the electronics and the laser diodes. There is also a processor on board that cleans up the audio signals and handles echo cancellation. You should budget for about 1A of current at 12V.

Now we're Kinecting with Battery Power!

I haven't heard of anyone using wireless USB though. In theory it should work as long as both the Kinect and the PC think they are talking to normal USB. The challenge is that Kinect streams data at a very high rate. So finding a very fast, reliable wireless adapter for the USB may be problematic.

@DeMoNN great site info, there is also a youtube with it on a Roomba. Here is the link.

Hmm...it only makes sense if it is wireless. And a i5 or i7 on a robot is a bit oversized in my opinion. What's about a singlecore atom board like N270, i tiink it will work with win7 and kinect but can it handle the ez robot softwate too?

Marc

Well obviously kinect is not useful for a nanobot army, however, if its mounted to an ez-b quadrocopter, it can communicate surroundings or commands tothe other robots. The advanced depth perception is a very neat tool