Using KinCap

This entry is mainly for myself so I can remember what to do to install the Kinect drivers and Point Grey Research drivers.

- FlyCapture2_x86.exe
- openni-win32-1.5.4.0-dev.exe
- nite-win32-1.5.2.21-dev.exe
- SensorKinect092-Bin-Win32-v5.1.2.1.exe
- sensor-win32-5.1.2.1-redist.exe

When installing the FireCapture driver DONT just click next, next, next... otherwise you'll install the USB3 drivers and they'll prevent any other device working on that bus :/
Also ensure you untick the bit that asks to 'let flyCapture manage CPU idle states'..... don't let it!, it's rubbish, It wouldn't throttle down my CPU :(

Also to use the KinCap tool you'll need OpenCV 2.4.3 compiled for the Kinect and PCL 1.6.0 installed.

Data Collection with WALL-E v0.0001

About 3 weeks ago (1/3/13) I configured the robot we have in the lab with a bunch of +Manfrotto Imagine More tripod parts to enable mounting of 2 +Point Grey Research FireFly cameras and a +Microsoft Kinect. The Kinect will be gathering ground truth 3D mapping data and the FireFly cameras will gather stereo images which will be used to construct the scene offline in attempts to generate a 3D model of the scene in front of the robot. I wrote some custom logging software in C++ using OpenCV, +PointCloudLibrary and the various SDK's needed to talk to the Kinect and FireFly cameras.

Front View Layout 1: Using the Manfrotto gripping arm to hold the Kinect as the base mount of the Kinect is susceptible to vibration.

Rear View Layout 1: Single arm holding Kinect steady.

Front View Layout 2: Two extension arms mounted on either end of the bar providing two anchor points for the Kinect.

Top-Front View Layout 2: View from above with logging laptop mounted on the rear of the robot with anti-vibration padding.

Mobile test post

Test post with a picture test formatting