Microsoft has officially unveiled the second-generation Kinect sensor that will be made available to Windows PC gamers.

In a blog post on the Kinect blog on Thursday, the Redmond-based company showed a picture of the Kinect for Windows v2 and offered a few details.

The sensor closely resembles Kinect for Xbox One, except that it says “Kinect” on the top panel, and the Xbox Nexus - the stylized green “x” - has been changed to a more simple power indicator.

Since the Kinect for Windows sensor plugs into a USB 3.0 port on the back of your computer, it needs a hub and power supply to make it all work. The power supply does what you'd expect, and the hub connects the sensor, USB 3.0 output to PC, and power all into one.

microsoft teases kinect 2 sensor for windows getting closer and closer to launch image 2

Compared to the first-generation, the new Kinect sensor has been hugely upgraded with a new 1080p full-colour 16:9 camera, a 3D sensor with the capability to capture a lot more detail, an infrared camera that can see you in the dark, and a wider field of view to catch more of the action in front of the screen between 1m and 4.5m. There's also four microphones on board, and it can even detect your heart rate. 

The Kinect for Windows sensor is not only used for game titles, but consumer and business scenarios as well.

Microsoft has previously confirmed Kinect for Windows v2 will launch by summer 2014.