[Lab] MS Kinect question

Anthony Dewar AnthonyDewar at cmail.carleton.ca
Wed Aug 14 15:03:33 EDT 2013 

Hello Jeff,

I have a MS Kinect for Windows, from what I remember the Xbox version does not work with the SDK so no Kinect Fusion, which may not be a problem if your wanting to use the open source programs. The only other difference that I can remember besides the adapter is a higher resolution camera (I don't have a link to this fact but it should be easy to track down).  Mine was bought from Amazon last winter. On the functional side with Kinect Fusion I would suggest making sure your graphics drivers are updated and you have a modern GPU as my old GTX460 has some problems with keeping up live, and can be troublesome as the scanners location tracking is lost.

Anthony
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Subject: Lab Digest, Vol 42, Issue 9

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Today's Topics:

   1. MS Kinect question (j ross)
   2. Re: MS Kinect question (Jason Cobill)
   3. Re: MS Kinect question (j ross)
   4. Re: ModLab announcement. (Mark Stephenson)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 12:42:03 -0400
From: j ross <waterfallclose at gmail.com>
To: lab at artengine.ca
Subject: [Lab] MS Kinect question
Message-ID:
        <CAHK-2ZL46V1=nJ9Ut3qUyUdw+wztUVcc2JzzWVaceftmsh-LNg at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi all - I'm considering getting a MS kinect, but wanted to get some
opinions and advice first:
- difference between MS kinect for windows and xbox (eg.
performance/features, OpenNI compatibility)?  (They appear identical but
xbox ~$110, windows ~$270 - SDK seems free so I don't understand the
difference except maybe commercial use markup)
- where to buy MS kinect for windows in Canada? (I only see amazon as a
supplier 3-5weeks lead)
- if xbox (eg. from best buy), what else do I need to connect to a PC?  Do
I need to hack the connectors? Does the connector adapter come with it?
- comments on Xtion Live, Carmine sensors?

I have googled these topics but there don't seem to be clear answers.  My
main interest is for scanning people, large objects and rooms as well as
future work for gesture input.  I'm currently working with David Scanner
for small to medium static objects with structured light - takes too long
for people/rooms though and not suitable for gestures.

Thanks!
Jeff
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 12:56:46 -0400
From: Jason Cobill <jason.cobill at gmail.com>
To: lab <lab at artengine.ca>
Subject: Re: [Lab] MS Kinect question
Message-ID:
        <CA+TeZo+yEAqXEPNYQ1axhL_aGZbjTj5Lh5SQk-xLris84RiHuw at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

   I'm just in the middle of a bunch of Kinect experiments myself, so good
timing! :)

   The Kinect for XBox has a non-standard connector to plug into the XBox -
with the Windows version you get an adaptor that converts from XBox to USB,
and plugs into the wall to power the Kinect camera.

   I've seen some really cool demos on the Scanect software site regarding
environment and people scanning - James on this list has some more direct
experience with that software. I've been using the OpenKinect API on the
Mac to access the data directly - there's some pretty rad stuff going on in
there. :) You can also yank pointcloud data directly into Meshlab now using
the Kinect/OpenNI plugin for Meshlab, but it only works on Windows 7 & 8 -
hope your OS is up to date! I'm running Vista and had endless headaches
trying to get the hardware to talk to the software.

   A side note about scanning environments: The depth data from the Kinect
is logarithmically scaled instead of linearly, so the further you get from
the camera the bigger the error gets. Up close (torso scanning) you can get
around 25points/cm^2, which is fantastic, but I think if you're intending
to scan rooms you might want to go with a more sophisticated lidar tool
that doesn't suffer from so much distortion. (Although, as I said, the
Scanect people have an impressive demo of a small room being scanned, so
it's not impossible)

   -Jason Cobill




On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 12:42 PM, j ross <waterfallclose at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all - I'm considering getting a MS kinect, but wanted to get some
> opinions and advice first:
> - difference between MS kinect for windows and xbox (eg.
> performance/features, OpenNI compatibility)?  (They appear identical but
> xbox ~$110, windows ~$270 - SDK seems free so I don't understand the
> difference except maybe commercial use markup)
> - where to buy MS kinect for windows in Canada? (I only see amazon as a
> supplier 3-5weeks lead)
> - if xbox (eg. from best buy), what else do I need to connect to a PC?  Do
> I need to hack the connectors? Does the connector adapter come with it?
> - comments on Xtion Live, Carmine sensors?
>
> I have googled these topics but there don't seem to be clear answers.  My
> main interest is for scanning people, large objects and rooms as well as
> future work for gesture input.  I'm currently working with David Scanner
> for small to medium static objects with structured light - takes too long
> for people/rooms though and not suitable for gestures.
>
> Thanks!
> Jeff
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lab mailing list
> 1. subscribe http://artengine.ca/mailman/listinfo/lab
> 2. then email Lab at artengine.ca
>
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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 13:30:49 -0400
From: j ross <waterfallclose at gmail.com>
To: Jason Cobill <jason.cobill at gmail.com>
Cc: lab <lab at artengine.ca>
Subject: Re: [Lab] MS Kinect question
Message-ID:
        <CAHK-2ZJ0Ud-buSMxbPT6-+hX4mAFvEH5TdHgySmeihQ-cg5CtA at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Thanks Jason, I appreciate the feedback - sounds like I should order the
Kinect for Windows if just to avoid connector issues (+$200 is an expensive
connector though - 2x the price of the sensor seems a bit much, even for
MS?  :).

I'm just assembling a new PC so hopefully everything is up-to-date (Win8 -
unfortunately) I opted for a new build rather than a laptop so I could have
the option of multi-sensor in the future.
Where did you order your Kinect from?  I'm currently looking at Techdepot
but would appreciate any buyer advice - I haven't ordered from them before.

BTW - room scanning is a nice-to-have, not a strict requirement at this
point.  I'm more interested in people scanning and gesture tracking (for
automation control) at the moment.
Any thoughts on Artec Studio?  The ability to auto-create a "watertight"
mesh is attractive, but pricey.

Jeff
On Aug 14, 2013 12:56 PM, "Jason Cobill" <jason.cobill at gmail.com> wrote:

>
>    I'm just in the middle of a bunch of Kinect experiments myself, so good
> timing! :)
>
>    The Kinect for XBox has a non-standard connector to plug into the XBox
> - with the Windows version you get an adaptor that converts from XBox to
> USB, and plugs into the wall to power the Kinect camera.
>
>    I've seen some really cool demos on the Scanect software site regarding
> environment and people scanning - James on this list has some more direct
> experience with that software. I've been using the OpenKinect API on the
> Mac to access the data directly - there's some pretty rad stuff going on in
> there. :) You can also yank pointcloud data directly into Meshlab now using
> the Kinect/OpenNI plugin for Meshlab, but it only works on Windows 7 & 8 -
> hope your OS is up to date! I'm running Vista and had endless headaches
> trying to get the hardware to talk to the software.
>
>    A side note about scanning environments: The depth data from the Kinect
> is logarithmically scaled instead of linearly, so the further you get from
> the camera the bigger the error gets. Up close (torso scanning) you can get
> around 25points/cm^2, which is fantastic, but I think if you're intending
> to scan rooms you might want to go with a more sophisticated lidar tool
> that doesn't suffer from so much distortion. (Although, as I said, the
> Scanect people have an impressive demo of a small room being scanned, so
> it's not impossible)
>
>    -Jason Cobill
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 12:42 PM, j ross <waterfallclose at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi all - I'm considering getting a MS kinect, but wanted to get some
>> opinions and advice first:
>> - difference between MS kinect for windows and xbox (eg.
>> performance/features, OpenNI compatibility)?  (They appear identical but
>> xbox ~$110, windows ~$270 - SDK seems free so I don't understand the
>> difference except maybe commercial use markup)
>> - where to buy MS kinect for windows in Canada? (I only see amazon as a
>> supplier 3-5weeks lead)
>> - if xbox (eg. from best buy), what else do I need to connect to a PC?
>> Do I need to hack the connectors? Does the connector adapter come with it?
>> - comments on Xtion Live, Carmine sensors?
>>
>> I have googled these topics but there don't seem to be clear answers.  My
>> main interest is for scanning people, large objects and rooms as well as
>> future work for gesture input.  I'm currently working with David Scanner
>> for small to medium static objects with structured light - takes too long
>> for people/rooms though and not suitable for gestures.
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Jeff
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Lab mailing list
>> 1. subscribe http://artengine.ca/mailman/listinfo/lab
>> 2. then email Lab at artengine.ca
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lab mailing list
> 1. subscribe http://artengine.ca/mailman/listinfo/lab
> 2. then email Lab at artengine.ca
>
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Message: 4
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 14:44:02 -0400
From: Mark Stephenson <mark.b.stephenson at gmail.com>
To: Britta Evans-Fenton <technical at artengine.ca>
Cc: lab <lab at artengine.ca>
Subject: Re: [Lab] ModLab announcement.
Message-ID:
        <CAC9aq_YFMdYPYmhWmjKoaJqMxmi7f=E1uCYLF945f2+ztV1i2w at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Great news Britta.

On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 10:37 AM, Britta Evans-Fenton <
technical at artengine.ca> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> Do you leave yourself guessing which Wednesday it is, only to find
> yourself at an Inventor's Association meeting?
> WELL LOOK NO FURTHER!
>
> Starting in September:
> **Modlab will be EVERY WEDNESDAY **
>
> same bat-time: 7pm-10pm
> same bat-channel: Artengine's M70 lab
> BUT EVERY WEEK!!!
>
> Just part of the improvements your friendly neighbourhood ARTENGINE is
> working towards!
>
>
>
> (hope you enjoyed the geeked out super hero jokes!)
>
> Britta
> *Technical Coordinator *
> Artengine.ca
>
> Ottawa Mini Maker Faire
> Aug. 31 & Sept. 1 2013
> www.makerfaireottawa.com
> @MakerFaireOTT
> #MMFO
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lab mailing list
> 1. subscribe http://artengine.ca/mailman/listinfo/lab
> 2. then email Lab at artengine.ca
>



--
Mark Stephenson
mark.b.stephenson at gmail.com | m: 613-797-7192 |  t: @mste
http://tumblr.markbstephenson.com | http://ca.linkedin.com/in/markstephenson
https://www.facebook.com/MarkStephensonArtist
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