That research is interesting but this was the sort of research I was thinking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkBh71zZKrM

The plan seems to be to make more RGBZ CMOS chips (cameras with range sensors built in). Once the R&D is more available we will start seeing more than just Kinects and engineering improvements (like the Megapixel race to get more and more in smaller form factors).