We have the same problem, and have been exploring alternatives (we need 
sensors now, not in summer ..)

We did initial successful tests with the Argos P100:
   http://www.bluetechnix.com/rainbow2006/site/520/Default.aspx
It is (like the new kinect) a time of flight sensor. So has quite good 
robustness to adverse lighting conditions.
Also has a range from like 1 cm (!) to several meters. And, just in case 
you need it, can do 160 fps. (it then does get quite hot though, as the 
illuminating LEDs require more power - at 30 fps it just gets a bit warm)
It also is a lot smaller then the new kinect will be, so should easily 
fit onto your pan/tilt unit or wherever.

On the down side it currently only does 160x120, as opposed to the 
320x240 which the old kinect did. And is a bit noisier than then kinect, 
though I think we did not yet fully explore the various parameters for 
filtering etc.
And it is a depth only camera, so you will have to use (and calibrate) 
an additional color camera to get RGBD. But that too can be done 
relatively easy.

And, of course, there is a ROS driver for it, which worked fine for us.
   https://github.com/voxel-dot-at/argos3d_p100_ros_pkg

cheers,
Michael

On 01/22/2014 02:14 AM, Chris Jones wrote:
> Primesense has shrunk their website down to just a single page and taken
> down all information on their sensors. I just sent them a message
> through a form on their site. Has anyone heard, are they no longer
> selling cameras? I need the Carmine 1.09 for my boxing robot that I hope
> to bring to market in the next few months.
>
> Asus Xtion Pro Live (Carmine 1.08 clone) is on the Asus website but
> they've pulled it from their store.
>
> If they are no longer available that's going to be a huge blow to
> robotics projects everywhere.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> ros-users mailing list
> ros-users@code.ros.org
> http://lists.ros.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-users
>

-- 
Dr. Michael Zillich
ACIN Institute of Automation and Control
Vienna University of Technology
(DVR-Number 0005886)
Gusshausstr 27-29/E376, 1040 Vienna, Austria
zillich@acin.tuwien.ac.at	http://users.acin.tuwien.ac.at/mzillich
Tel: +43 1 58801 376648		Fax: +43 1 58801 37698
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