Microsoft has announced the availability of its Kinect for Windows software development kit (SDK) 2.0 which, according to the company, contains over 200 improvements and updates since the public preview in June. These include enhancements to Visual Gesture Builder, Kinect Studio, and Kinect Fusion.

There are no fees for runtime licenses of commercial applications developed with the SDK, which you can download for free from microsoft.com.

In addition, the software giant is also making available a $49 adapter kit that allows you to use the Kinect for Xbox One with Windows 8/8.1 PCs and tablets via a USB 3.0 port. "With the adapter, all Kinect v2 sensors---Kinect for Windows v2 and Kinect for Xbox One---perform identically", the company said. The adapter is now available for purchase in over two dozen countries and regions, and will be available in a total of 41 countries in the coming weeks.

Finally, Microsoft has also started accepting Kinect apps in the Windows Store. Describing it as a "frequent request from the community", the Redmond-based company said the move will help bring more personal computing experiences that feature gesture control, body tracking, and object recognition to Windows customers around the world.

Some of the Kinect apps that are currently available for download in the Windows Store include, Kinect Evolution: an app that helps developers understand the core capabilities of the Kinect for Windows v2 technology; YAKiT: an app from the developers at Freak n' Genius that allows people without design expertise to animate 2D or 3D characters in real time; 3D Builder: an app that enables anyone to scan a person or object, turn it into a 3D model, and create a 3D print of that model; and more.