https://vimeo.com/38874664
wowzers.
LightGuide: Using On-Body Projection to Guide 3D Movement
May 6, 2012This is some fun work out of Microsoft Research that looks at using projection on your body to guide your movement in 3D space. If you want to figure out how to play sports, an instrument, exercise, or anything else that requires movement, they show that projecting visual hints directly on your body can help! They use a single overhead projector and Kinect to project hints on your hand. Their results show that when users tried their hints, they performed movements more accurately than by just using video.
Rock Solid Kinect Mount (for Computer Vision)
April 24, 2012The Kinect sensor does not come equipped with a tripod mounting screw. By now there are 8 million different ways to mount your Kinect to a tripod, your wall or the back of your TV. Unfortunately, they all mount to the bottom of the Kinect (beneath the tilt motor), leaving the Kinect to jiggle and wiggle like it is listening to “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It.”
If you need the Kinect sensor to stay put, say to register it to another camera (e.g. DSLR) or a projector, then you need to get rid of the wiggle.
Our research group has come up with two methods to mount directly to the Kinect.
Disclaimer: Both of these methods involve modifying the Kinect. You WILL do permanent and irrevocable damage to your Kinect if you continue down this path. We in no way claim that this is safe to yourself, others or your Kinect sensor.
Method 1: (developed by Kevin Karsch, implemented by Rajinder Sodhi)
This is the simplest, easiest and possibly recommended method.
Here we attach a tripod mount directly to the body of the Kinect (instead of the wiggly bottom) with adhesive. For the camera mount, you might be able to buy an adhesive camera mount such as:
We were in a time cruch, so we headed out to Radio Shack and bought a cheap tripod:
50″ 4-Section Tripod, Model: TV-1743
We then sawed off the top of the tripod, retrieving only the mount.
This was then glued with expoy directly to the base of the Kinect. Here we attached it to the top of the Kinect, in order to rigidly mount another camera on top. This process would also work to attach a tripod mount to the bottom of the Kinect.
Method 2: (developed by Brett Jones)
Here we use the existing screws holes of the Kinect to rigidly mount to a piece of plexiglass. This is definitely the most robust method, but also the most time consuming and costly (and dangerous?). You will need a sheet of plexiglass (acrylic), some screws, Torx security screwdrivers, a power drill and a power jigsaw. Do not proceed unless you are comfortable with power tools.
First we took off the motor and useless base for the Kinect. We followed the directions on iFixit, up to step 5. This requires purchasing a set of Torx (T6 & T10) security screwdrivers. Basically you remove the protective rubber pad on the base, then open the base using the T6 screwdriver.
We then just cut-off the plastic from the base using some metal clippers. Use scissors, a hacksaw, whatever you can find.
Now we will use the original screw holes to connect to an acryllic (plexiglass base).
Follow steps 6 & 7 on iFixit, to remove the bottom T10 security screws. We went to the local hardware store (Lowes) and bought some longer screws that fit the original holes. The thread count on the screws will not match perfectly, so this will most likely permanently damage the screw holes. (You won’t be able to put everything back together). I don’t remember the exact screws we bought, so just bring in one of the Kinect screws and find one that is the same diameter but longer in length (around 1.5 inches). You will also need matching nuts.
We also need a screw to attach to the tripod. So pick up a 1/4 inch screw that is 1-1.5 inches long with a matching nut.
We then need to cutout a piece of acrylic glass that will serve as a rigid body to attach to. We bought a 1/4 inch thick piece of acrylic glass at Lowes. We roughly measure the size of the Kinect and cut-out a rectangle of acrylic glass. Place the acrylic glass on the bottom on the Kinect and mark the locations of the 6 screw holes. Note where the cord comes out of the bottom on the Kinect. Also note where you would like to mount it to the tripod (taking the center of gravity of your camera-rig into account).
Now with a power drill (and all proper safety equipment) make 6 holes for the screws and one for the 1/4″ tripod screw. Then cutout a hole for the Kinect cord with a drill/jigsaw (it will have to big enough to thread the large USB end through).
Finally, insert the six screws, thread the cord through and screw them into the Kinect. Attach the 1/4″ screw for the tripod mount.
Whalla! Now you have a rock-solid Kinect mount.
Pro-tip: Check out 80/20 which sells a bunch of metal parts that connect with 1/4″ screws and are great for mounting cameras. They call themselves “An industrial erector set.”
Questions? Email me. I’ll update this post with more info.
Update on the Wedge Display @ MSR
February 28, 2012
Steven Bathiche presents a cool update on the wedge display. The wedge display can simultaneously display content and capture camera images of items in front of the display. This really cool technology enables interaction in the air in front of displays.
This is a similar concept to the Bidi screen.
Kinect Fusion
January 19, 2012An awesome project from the Microsoft Cambridge group looking at creating nice high resolution models of a user’s environment by simply waving the Kinect around the scene.
SideBySide
January 19, 2012A fun project from Disney Research that explores how users can interact with content collaboratively. They use a custom made hybrid infrared camera and pico projector which can project and sense IR tracking markers. Now we just need some bright pico projectors!
Femto-Photography
December 14, 2011Videos and explanation start at 20:15.
Pretty neat stuff on super high speed photography. By capturing a trillion frames per second, they can see how light moves through a variety of surfaces. They build custom camera equipment which is modified from instruments used in chemistry labs for high-speed data acquisition. The technique Raskar is referring to uses high-speed flashes to separate the direct and global lighting. It looks especially cool when you see how light passes through the bell pepper due to sub-surface scattering.
