Working with the Kinect

When working with the Kinect, there are several important considerations to ensure proper functionality and integration.

Prerequisites

1. Install the Microsoft Development Kit for Windows SDK 2.0
   To use the Kinect, you must install the Microsoft Development Kit for Windows SDK 2.0.

   Note: This module is only available for Windows computers.

2. Windows Computer Requirement

   • If your project integrates the Kinect actively, you must build the project on a Windows computer, as the Kinect SDK is required and not supported on other operating systems.

Resources and Documentation

• Kinect for Windows SDK Documentation
• Kinect Developer Forum

Issues and Troubleshooting

At a certain point in our development process, we needed to test the project in the CAVE environment. However, developing in the CAVE is challenging because implemented changes cannot be verified immediately. After modifying the code, the project must be built and opened within the CAVE for testing.

When we attempted to run the software in the CAVE, the Kinect did not automatically turn on. Initially, we suspected an issue with our implementation, but after further investigation, we discovered that the problem was related to the CAVE package responsible for Kinect integration. Julian, who had previously built this package, resolved the issue by adapting and updating the package. Once we installed the updated version, the project ran successfully, and the Kinect functioned as expected.

For future projects, this issue should no longer occur. However, we recommend ensuring that you have the latest version of the CAVE package installed and if you notice a problem with its functionality to contact your assistent professor and Julian Knepel.

It is also important to note that only one person should be in the Cave when testing the software to ensure best possible tracking.