Hacking with the Kinect : Using the Kinect for Windows SDK - A Guided Tour Through the World of NUI

by Bates, David

• ISBN13: 9780672335884
• ISBN10: 0672335883
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-08-27
• Publisher: Sams Publishing

Summary

Microsoft's Kinect add-on for Xbox is the fastest selling new gaming peripheral in history, and no wonder. For under $200, Kinect can see and hear its surroundings, find people, even tell them apart. It's a huge step towards controlling computers and devices just like Tom Cruise did in Minority Report. Hackers worldwide are salivating at the chance to take control of Kinect. With Microsoft's brand-new Kinect SDK and this book, they can. Hacking with the Microsoft Kinect Beta SDKteaches every skill programmers need to become pioneering Kinect "DIY" hackers. Long-time hardware hacker David Bates first walks readers through installing and configuring the new Kinect development environment with Microsoft's free Visual Studio 2010 Express. Next, he introduces Kinect's core features through a series of simple hacks presented in the form of easy, step-by-step tutorials. Developers learn how to map 3D space in real-time, track motion, recognize people, and find the sources of sound. Step by step, Bates guides readers through increasingly challenging tasks, including detecting people while they're walking; interacting with individuals; identifying the loudest voice in a group; and reacting to objects. Bates even shows how to use Kinect to build a working security system. He concludes by previewing the future of Kinect, including opportunities to commercialize new applications, and evolving "natural user interfaces."

Author Biography

David Bates has been hacking hardware and software for over 20 years, starting with a pioneering project for Dow Corning and IBM involving software controlled robotic arms. He has since become proficient in a dozen languages and APIs; has programmed on just about every type of device phone, desktop, and embedded devices; and is currently lead developer for a leading manufacturer of IC products. He is well-known in the community for using tools such as Arduino and Netduino to hack everyday objects, transforming them into something fun. He has conducted extensive research into hacking the Kinect to expand its applications in computer control, robotics, security, and related markets.

Table of Contents

Part I: Getting Up and Hacking
1. A Brief History (Hack #1)
2. Installing Visual Studio Express 2010
3. Installing and Configuring the Kinect SDK Beta

Part II: What is Kinect?
4. 3D Depth - How Far Away (Hack #2)
5. Motion Tracking - Did Something Move (Hack #3)
6. Skeleton Recognition - People Detection (Hack #4)
7. Audio Beam-Forming - Where Did That Noise Come from (Hack #5)

Part III: More Hacks
8. Detecting People Walking (Hack #6)
9. Interact With People (Hack #7)
10. Point Out Who is the Loudest (Hack #7)
11. React with Objects (Hack #8)
12. Use Your Own Objects Virtually (Hack #9)
13. Build a Security System (Hack #10)
14. Object Avoidance (Hack #11)

Part IV: What's Next?
15. Commercialization of the Kinect SDK
16. The Future of NUI
17. How to Get Involved