Kinect for Windows SDK v1.8 released, with HTML5, Kinect Fusion improvements, and more

Download it here: Kinect for Windows SDK v1.8.

Also: Kinect for Windows Developer Toolkit v1.8.

Screenshots from the Kinect for Windows SDK, showing the background removal feature introduced in v1.8. Photo: Microsoft / Kinect for Windows

Here’s Bob Heddle with the announcement:

I am pleased to announce that we released the Kinect for Windows software development kit (SDK) 1.8 today. This is the fourth update to the SDK since we first released it commercially one and a half years ago. Since then, we’ve seen numerous companies using Kinect for Windows worldwide, and more than 700,000 downloads of our SDK. […]

Kinect for Windows SDK 1.8 includes some key features and samples that the community has been asking for, including:

  • New background removal. An API removes the background behind the active user so that it can be replaced with an artificial background. This green-screening effect was one of the top requests we’re heard in recent months. It is especially useful for advertising, augmented reality gaming, training and simulation, and other immersive experiences that place the user in a different virtual environment.
  • Realistic color capture with Kinect Fusion. A new Kinect Fusion API scans the color of the scene along with the depth information so that it can capture the color of the object along with its three-dimensional (3D) model. The API also produces a texture map for the mesh created from the scan. This feature provides a full fidelity 3D model of a scan, including color, which can be used for full color 3D printing or to create accurate 3D assets for games, CAD, and other applications.
  • Improved tracking robustness with Kinect Fusion. This algorithm makes it easier to scan a scene. With this update, Kinect Fusion is better able to maintain its lock on the scene as the camera position moves, yielding a more reliable and consistent scanning.
  • HTML interaction sample. This sample demonstrates implementing Kinect-enabled buttons, simple user engagement, and the use of a background removal stream in HTML5. It allows developers to use HTML5 and JavaScript to implement Kinect-enabled user interfaces, which was not possible previously—making it easier for developers to work in whatever programming languages they prefer and integrate Kinect for Windows into their existing solutions.
  • Multiple-sensor Kinect Fusion sample. This sample shows developers how to use two sensors simultaneously to scan a person or object from both sides—making it possible to construct a 3D model without having to move the sensor or the object! It demonstrates the calibration between two Kinect for Windows sensors, and how to use Kinect Fusion APIs with multiple depth snapshots. It is ideal for retail experiences and other public kiosks that do not include having an attendant available to scan by hand.
  • Adaptive UI sample. This sample demonstrates how to build an application that adapts itself depending on the distance between the user and the screen—from gesturing at a distance to touching a touchscreen. The algorithm in this sample uses the physical dimensions and positions of the screen and sensor to determine the best ergonomic position on the screen for touch controls as well as ways the UI can adapt as the user approaches the screen or moves further away from it. As a result, the touch interface and visual display adapt to the user’s position and height, which enables users to interact with large touch screen displays comfortably. The display can also be adapted for more than one user. [more]

Updated SDK, with HTML5, Kinect Fusion improvements, and more

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