A software development kit that aims to assist developers in creating applications that make use of the Kinect sensor technology

OpenKinect is an open community of people interested in making use of the amazing Xbox Kinect hardware with our PCs and other devices. We are working on free, open source libraries that will enable the Kinect to be used with Windows, Linux, and Mac. The OpenKinect community consists of over 2000 members contributing their time and code to the. The book is written on Kinect for Windows SDK v1.6. The Kinect for Windows SDK was first launched as a Beta 1 version in June 2011, and after a thunderous response from the developer community, the updated version of Kinect for Windows SDK Beta 2 version was launched in November 2011.

What's new in Kinect SDK 2.0.1408.18002 Public Preview:

• Windows Store App Support (WinRT)
• With this release of Kinect for Windows, you are able to begin developing Kinect enabled applications which target the Windows Store. All of the features of the Kinect SDK are now available in Windows Store applications, and we are incredibly excited to see what people create there. Publishing applications to the store will be enabled at the time that we launch the 2.0 release of Kinect for Windows, later this year. All of the Kinect SDK and sensor functionality are available in this API surface, except for Speech. To view the new WindowsPreview managed API, see Windows Store App (WinRT) Managed Reference. For more information on adding Kinect support to your Visual Studio project, see Creating a Windows Store App that Uses Kinect for Windows SDK.
• Unity Support:

The Kinect SDK is intended for developers who want to create applications that interact with Kinect devices, using gestures and voice recognition as a control means. The SDK includes all the APIs, sample codes, device interfaces and drivers one needs in order to build software programs that make use of the Kinect sensor technology.

With the help of the Kinect SDK you can unleash your creativity and take advantage of the power of the kinect technology, building applications that really understand motion, objects and environments, with accurate depth perception and high-quality output.

Kinect SDK offers cutting-edge motion tracking capabilities, which enables humans to freely and easily interact with computers. Application created with Kinect SDK can be deployed in both personal and commercial environments.

The SDK features advanced skeletal tracking and joint orientation, enabling it to discern movements and gestures coming from up to six persons with high precision, including hand tips and thumb motion.

Developers can work with the Kinect SDK in Visual Studio 2010, 2012 and 2013, but the Microsoft Speech Platform SDK must be installed in order for them to create speech-enabled applications.

It is a next-generation SDK, suitable for an era in which computers are controlled not just with hardware components, but also with simple gestures and spoken words. It can be used to create interactive and innovative applications that respond to motion and voice commands.

System requirements

• For v2.0 Public Preview:
• A Microsoft Kinect for Windows v2 sensor
• Dual-core 3.1-GHz or faster processor
• Dedicated USB 3.0 bus
• 2 GB RAM
• DX11 capable graphics adapter
• For v1.8:
• Dual-core 2.66-GHz or faster processor
• Dedicated USB 2.0 bus
• 2 GB RAM
• A Microsoft Kinect for Windows sensor

Filed under

Kinect Sdk Unity

Kinect SDK 1.8.0.595 / 2.0.1408.18002 Public Preview

runs on:

Windows 8 32/64 bit
Windows 7 32/64 bit

file size:

222 MB

filename:

KinectSDK-v1.8-Setup.exe

main category:

Programming

developer:

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• 2Installing the Microsoft Kinect SDK
• 3Bringing the Kinect SDK in to Unity
  • 3.1Install the Unity Package
• 4Using the Scripts
  • 4.1Setting up the Kinect_Prefab
  • 4.2Controlling your Character

What is the Kinect?

Installing the Microsoft Kinect SDK

Because this set of drivers is supported by Microsoft, setup is relatively easy - you just need to download the SDK installer package and follow the on-screen prompts.

Downloading and Installing the SDK

NOTE: Before installing, ensure that the Kinect is NOT connected to your machine.

1. Download the SDK and Toolkit from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=36996
2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts.
3. Once the installer finishes, connect the Kinect to your computer.
4. Feel free to run the Sample Skeletal Viewer to ensure the Kinect is functioning properly.

Integrating with Unity

PLEASE NOTE: Even if you don't have a physical Kinect attached to your machine, it is recommended to install the drivers on the machine you are developing on.

In order to utilize the drivers that you just installed, you will just need to use the provided scripts within your project.

Luckily, the Unity package provided on this very page will install all of the required assets for you. Check the next section for instructions how to both install and utilize it!

Bringing the Kinect SDK in to Unity

Install the Unity Package

The pre-built Unity package (Kinect Wrapper Package for Unity3D) includes all of the scripts required to start running your world.

To install, simply import the package, and you all of the required assets will appear in your project.

The following items are included within the package:

Scenes

• KinectSample - This scene shows you how a skeleton is generated / tracked by placing spheres at each of the bones tracked by the Kinect, and how to use kinect to control your model. Use this to get a feel for what the Kinect is capable of. It also shows you how to prepare your GameObjects

Prefabs

• Kinect_Prefab- This prefab has an empty node which contains all of the necessary scripts for your world to start using the Kinect - this does NOT include the controller, which you will need to use to actually control your models. See setup

Kinect Sdk 2.0

• KinectPointMan - This prefab shows how KinectPointController works.

Kinect

• KinectModelControllerV2 - This is the script that you will attach to your model that you want to manipulate - you will drag each of the bones to be controlled into the appropriate slot, and determine which player controls which model.

Kinect Sdk Windows 7

• KinectPointController - This script will place GameObjects that you define onto points that are tracked by the Kinect, generating a skeleton. The starting scene comes with an example of how this looks / should be done.

• DisplayDepth - This script will get the depth image. Attach it to a game object with renderer. NOTE: In unity, you need to restart unity everytime after running your world, otherwise this script will not work (because of SDK issue).

• DisplayColor - This script will get the RGB image. Attach it to a game object with renderer. NOTE: In unity, you need to restart unity everytime after running your world, otherwise this script will not work (because of SDK issue).

• KinectRecorder - This script will record your movement and output playback files for the emulator.

• KinectEmulator - This script will act as a virtual Kinect. It works with playback files. For now it only simulate the skeleton data.

• KinectSensor - This script gets data from the physic Kinect.

• DeviceOrEmulator - This script sets whether to use physic Kinect or the emulator.

• SkeletonWrapper - This script grabs skeleton data.

• DepthWrapper - This script grabs depth image data.

• KinectInterop - This script grabs data from Microsoft Kinect SDK.

• Recordings/playbackDefault - This is the default playback file for emulator. Do NOT remove this file.

Models and Materials

• rainbowMan

This is an example model that you can use for testing / learning how to use the wrapper. You can drag the KinectModelControllerV2 script onto this model and attach the bones and immediately begin testing.

Using the Scripts

After importing the asset package, you have the KinectExample to test and get familiar with the KinectPointController and KinectModelControllerV2. You can use this as your base scene, or you can drag the appropriate GameObjects into a new one.

Setting up the Kinect_Prefab

As previously mentioned, the Kinect_Prefab GameObject is required to have Unity talk with / use the Kinect. This empty object needs to exist somewhere in your scene. However, if you are switching scenes, it will persist because of the DontDestroyOnLoad call in the KinectWrapper script, so you don't need to instantiate a new Kinect_Prefab in each scene.

To get the best use out of the Kinect, you may need to tweak some settings within the Kinect_Prefab object itself - here is a breakdown of each option.

Device Or Emulator

• Use Emulator - Check this to use emulator.

Kinect Sensor

NOTE: do NOT enable this script manually, it is controlled by DeviceOrEmulator.

• Sensor Height - How high (in meters) off the ground is the sensor.
• Kinect Center - This tells the Kinect where it should be looking for it's 0,0,0 point (relative to the ground directly under the sensor). The default works pretty well.
• Look At - Tells the Kinect how to orient the camera using the motor control.

NOTE: The following values allow you to smooth the skeleton data. Usually the default values work fine. Do NOT change them unless you find magic numbers for you project.

• Smoothing - Default value 0.5.
• Correction - Default value 0.5.
• Prediction - Default value 0.5.
• Jitter Radius - Default value 0.05.
• Max Deviation Radius - Default value 0.04.

Kinect Emulator

NOTE:

1. do NOT enable this script manually, it is controlled by DeviceOrEmulator.
2. If you are in the emulator mode, it will automatically play the playbackDefault file.
3. Press F12 to play file of the path Input File. Press F12 again to switch back.

• Input File - The file you recorded for the emulator. The default value is 'Assets/Kinect/Recordings/playback0'.
• Sensor Height - How high (in meters) off the ground is the sensor.
• Kinect Center - This tells the Kinect where it should be looking for it's 0,0,0 point (relative to the ground directly under the sensor). The default works pretty well.
• Look At - Tells the Kinect how to orient the camera using the motor control.

Kinect Recorder

NOTE:

1. Press F10 to start recording, and press F10 again to stop.
2. You can record multiple files in one run.
3. You recording files will be created sequentially in the folder determined by Output File. The default value is 'Assets/Kinect/Recordings/playback', so the your recording files in one run will be named as 'playback0', 'playback1', etc.
4. The recorder will overwrite existing files. Remember to save your file to another folder before you run your world again and do the recording; or you can change the value of Output File to save the new files to another place.

• Output File - Where your recording files will go. The default value is 'Assets/Kinect/Recordings/playback'.

Controlling your Character

Simply put, to get your character moving, you need to first attach either the KinectModelControllerV2 to control the bones of the model, or KinectPointController to control a series of GameObjects.

NewModelController

To set this up, do the following:

1. Drag the KinectModelControllerV2 script on to your model.
2. Select the model, and find the Sw variable (it stands for Skeleton Wrapper). Drag your Kinect_Prefab from your CURRENT SCENE into this variable. This gives us a pointer to the main update script.
3. Now, expand your model fully so that each bone is visible in the hierarchy.
4. One by one, drag each bone you want to control onto the appropriate variable. Make sure to double-check the bones, as it's very easy to place it incorrectly.
5. After all the bones are placed, set the player that should control this model. 0 is player one, and 1 is player two.
6. Next, determine whether you want the entire skeleton to be affected by the Kinect (or just some parts) and set the appropriate mask. If you don't see one that you want, write your own!
7. If you intend to animate your model while the player is controlling it, set 'animated' flag and determine how much blending between the animation and the Kinect should occur - this is a range from 0 to 1.

KinectPointController

To set this up, do the following:

1. Create an empty object to store each of the objects you want to control.
2. Parent each of the objects into this empty node, and place them all at the same location.
3. Attach the KinectPointController to the parent node.
4. Select the parent node, and find the Sw variable (it stands for Skeleton Wrapper). Drag your Kinect_Prefab from your CURRENT SCENE into this variable. This gives us a pointer to the main update script.
5. Drag each of the objects you want to be controlled into the appropriate variable.
6. Set the player number (0 = player one, 1 = player two) and the Mask.

For an example of how this should work, check the KinectExample provided in the package.

Updates (Aug. 2013)

1. Updated wrapper to Kinect SDK 1.7 in Unity 4.2.
2. Added in Joint Orientation data from Kinect sensor.
3. Added seat mode.
4. Fixed the color and depth image display bug.

Example Code and Drivers

Kinect SDK
Kinect Wrapper Package for Unity3D
Kinect Wrapper Example Project
Troubleshoot body tracking