This week’s SmartWorld Series features the future role of Kinect in smart homes, a breakthrough discovery from a tech giant, and a software giant’s efforts in the connected car market.

For those who missed this week’s SmartWorld Series, here’s a chance to catch up on the exciting developments happening in the connected world. Each week, SiliconANGLE rounds up the best of apps and services for health and fitness, smart homes, smart cars and anything related to the Internet of Things.

Kinect may soon control your smart home

At BUILD 2014, Microsoft announced its Kinect v2, the motion sensor that comes with the Xbox One, will soon be available for use with desktops and notebooks running Windows 8. Aside from that, the software giant one day aims to make Kinect an important player in the Internet of Things by integrating it with smart home solutions. Microsoft suggests that the Kinect can be used to interact with connected devices such as turning lights on or off with a wave of a hand or be integrated with Cortana, Microsoft’s digital personal assistant for voice-only commands.

Find out more about Microsoft’s plans for Kinect, as well as other home automation implementations in this week’s SmartHome roundup.

Wearable tech tackles design barriers : WiFi onesies & more

Scientists at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) have announced the discovery of a breakthrough synthesis method that’ll speed up the commercial production of graphene, a one-atom thick layer of graphite that is strong, light, nearly transparent and an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. This discovery could revolutionize the future of mobile devices especially wearable tech. The method was discovered in collaboration with Sungkyunkwan University.

Learn more about this breakthrough discovery as well as the walking WiFi hotspot, and the barrier face by those in the wearable tech market in this week’s Wearable Tech roundup.

Microsoft, Quindell and others seek to own the smart car experience

Microsoft plans to take on Apple and Google in the connected car market, unveiling a prototype in-car platform at BUILD 2014. The prototype is Windows-based and aims to provide a seamless integration of Windows Phone devices with cars. The goal is to not just project the mobile screen on the car’s dashboard, but make the IVI as easy to use as its mobile counterpart, as well as be able to access phone features right from the dashboard.

Find out more about Microsoft’s plans for the connected car market as well as an app that diagnoses vehicle problems, and the largest telematics contract in this week’s SmartCar roundup.

Tune in next week for more interesting stories, discoveries and innovations in the world of smart and connected things.

photo credit: 아우크소(Auxo.co.kr) via photopin cc