Xbox 360 Kinect 3D Scanner Modular Handle System

Transform Your Design Process with the Ultimate Modular 3D Scanning System designed for the Xbox 360 Kinect!

Microsoft produced over 23 million Kinect units, and 11 years later, many people have these old gaming systems sitting in the attic or collecting dust on a shelf. However, what most people don’t know is that you can repurpose these old pieces of technology into functional 3D Scanners that you can use in your design flow! With just a power adapter, the Xbox 360 Kinect can be used as a 3D scanner with various software such as KScan and Scanect.

Additional Required Components:

(1x) - Xbox 360 Kinect Power Adapter

(4x) - M2 Heat Inserts

(4x) - M2 x 8mm Screws

OPTIONAL:

(6x) - M3 Thread Tapping Screws - I used these in place of the security screws used on the original Xbox Kinect, they got somewhat annoying during the prototyping stage. These are not required and you can use the existing screws on the Kinect Sensor.

This system is designed to replace the bottom positioning motor on your Kinect! Installation requires removing some useless bits from the Kinect, which I highlight below in the installation guide!

I wanted the theme for this to be somewhat organic, which you can see in the branching design of the top portion; this also aids in strength and a lack of flex while in use.

I’ve included both a handle for hand-held scanning and a tripod mount for stationary scanning.

Tools Required:

• Hex Driver
• T10 Torx Security Bit
• T6 Torx Bit
• Phillips #0 Bit
• Pliers

Installation Guide:

(This guide on IFIXIT has a ton of helpful information as well! - https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Xbox+360+Kinect+Teardown/4066)

• Start by removing the rubber pad on the base of the Kinect. It is simply glued, so you can opt to clean the area with isopropyl afterwards.

• Then remove the 4 screws on the base of the Kinect, these were previously hidden by the rubber pad.

• Next, remove the metal disc from the base of the Kinect and disconnect the small motor. Discard the gears and motor.

• Remove all plastic pieces still attached to the Kinect. One of these pieces will not come off unless you dismantle the entire unit, so I opted to snap this bit off with some pliers.

• You should now be left with a relatively bare-bones Kinect.

• Next, remove the bottom grille by lightly prying with a pry tool. These grilles are glued on, so some force is required. You now have access to the other 4 torx screws. Remove the 2 remaining Xbox 360 stickers to gain access to the other 2.

• You can now remove all 6 torx screws using a T10 Security Bit. Make sure to keep the plastic pieces in place once all the screws are removed.

• Install the Xbox 360 Kinect Adapter using the 6 previously removed torx screws, or using your own M3 thread cutting screws.

• With the Adapter in place, it’s time to install the 4x M2 Heat Inserts. Make sure these are installed with care and precision; the screws may not align properly if these are installed at an angle.

• And that's it! You can now easily swap between the Handle and Tripod Mount with ease!