Microsoft's Kinect for Windows helps fight the spread of Ebola virus in West Africa

Another day shows another use for Kinect for Windows. Yesterday, we showed you how Kinect for Windows helps serve beer to thirsty football fans. Today, the Kinect for Windows gesture-enabled system helps screen people in West Africa to see if they have been infected with the Ebola virus without ever touching them.

The British Army is working with CDS, a UK-based communications-solution company, to build a touch-free system for people who may be infected with the Ebola virus. The mission, dubbed Operation Gritrock, will use video to display important information to those possibly infected with Ebola on what steps they must take to avoid spreading the virus to someone else. 

Operation Gritlock will deploy 800 British Army personnel to West Africa to combat the spread of the deadly disease. CDS specially developed a Windows 8.1 application for the Kinect for Windows-enabled Ebola touch-free system, which will help possible Ebola victims.

The Microsoft UK Developer Experience team collaborated with CDS, ensuring that the Kinect-enabled touch-free system will help possible Ebola victims learn about care options without infecting the Kinect equipment with their bodily fluids; further spreading Ebola to other people.

The Microsoft UK Developer Experience team fully supported CDS with and all software or Kinect-related customization in Operation Gritlock. 

“It is always gratifying to work on solutions that make a difference, and this project has certainly been a project to be proud of for all associated with it.” – Mike Collier, CDS technical director.

Microsoft’s Kinect for Windows has a number of different areas where it can be effective; entertainment, educational, marketing, and now medical. As time goes on, it will not be long before someone or another company finds a new use for Kinect for Windows.  So until then, we will just have to wait and see what’s next for Kinect for Windows.