Very shortly after Microsoft released the Kinect as an add-on for its Xbox console, and they came to their senses after hackers went wild over its possibilities, I stated quiet a number of times that with the Kinect Microsoft had once again changed the face of technology.

I still believe that, and while there are a number of competitors out there the Microsoft name is bringing major brand power to the game. I also think that when the tech history is being written in the future the Kinect will be recognized as a pivotal point in our society, science, and technology.

A good example of this is the news that a British company by the name of Surrey Satellite Technology that is building a whole new type of nanosatellite that includes the technology from the Kinect. This technology is what will allow the nanosatellite to dock with another satellite while orbiting the planet.

The nanosatellite is called STRaND which is the acronym for Surrey Training Research and Nanosatellite Development.

The idea behind the tiny nano satellite is to use traditional consumer technology to build tiny spacecraft. Inside the satellite enclosure is a Google Nexus smartphone. That smartphone will be used as the onboard computer for the satellite. The Xbox 360 Kinect technology would be used to allow the satellites to know where each other is located and to dock with each other. Apparently, docking systems aren’t traditionally used on such small and low-cost satellite missions but the satellite builder wants to give it a shot.

via Slashgear

All this potential game changing technology thanks to a game console add-on that I don’t believe that Microsoft thought would have such a huge impact.