OpenKinect Logo Submissions

[Joe]

Hi All,

I'm creating a new thread for actual logo concepts and discussion, as
the other one got off-topic and contained not concepts. Joshua Blake
created a page on the github wiki here:


https://github.com/OpenKinect/openkinect/wiki/Logo-proposals


Below, is my first submission, mostly some rough ideas at this time,
trying to reflect openess, ir arrays and multiple cameras. I would
love your thoughts on colors, and if any of these click with what
everyone is doing here.

http://celsius.ws/clients/openkinect/concept1.png

Also, I'm quite sure we'll have problems using the Kinect name. Won't
we? Even buried in it's own title of "OpenKinect" we are infringing on
Microsoft's trademark...

[Nink]

They have an application in for a trademark but it does not appear to have been issued yet.
Sent from my BlackBerry

[Kizito S.M.]

I'd also not encourage the use of the word Kinect in our proposals!

--

Kizito S.M. - Telemedicine Project

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
P.O. Box 3033 Arusha - Tanzania
Fax:  +255 27 254 5054
Tel:   +255 27 250 4752
Mob: +255 75 543 7887

[Joshua Blake]

Joe Lackner writes:

Also, I'm quite sure we'll have problems using the Kinect name. Won't

we? Even buried in it's own title of "OpenKinect" we are infringing on

Microsoft's trademark...

Here's the approach that has been discussed:

We only use the words OpenKinect to refer to the community itself, but not anything we are creating.

 

The drivers/API distributable is named libfreenect. The other distributables will have other names not using Kinect. (One idea is libnectar.) See https://github.com/OpenKinect/libfreenect/wiki/Roadmap about the different distributables.

 

Trademark infringement relates to the use of the trademark for products or services in the marketplace. In this case, we're not using Kinect to identify any product or service.

 

What we're doing is equivalent to any other user group or online group that is enthusiastic about a product. Here are a few examples of discussion groups/communities using Microsoft trademarks in their names and logos. Microsoft actually engages and encourages these:

• WPF/Silverlight Insiders: http://wsinsiders.com/
• WPF Disciples: http://wpfdisciples.wordpress.com/
• International .NET Association: http://www.ineta.org/
• A whole bunch of Visual Studio user groups: http://www.google.com/search?q=visual+studio+user+group
• XBox Hacker BBS: http://www.xboxhacker.org/ (ok maybe they don't encourage this one)

 

I know many of these types of groups that discuss and produce open source software. Same thing we are doing here.

 

In the case that we do get a cease & desist letter regarding the name, we can just work with them to find an acceptable name and change at that point. Several of us are very confident that they won't care though.

 

Thanks,

Josh

---

Joshua Blake

Microsoft Surface MVP

 

(cell) 703-946-7176 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/joshblake

Blog: http://nui.joshland.org

Multitouch on Windows book: http://manning.com/blake

 

[Nink]

Just checked USPTO.gov and MS trademark is now up. There are 2 other companies with a kinect trademark 1 is Kinects in canada and another a sports company but different fields

We may have to back off the name now.

Sent from my BlackBerry

---

From: Joshua Blake <josh...@gmail.com>

Sender: openk...@googlegroups.com

Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2010 03:34:38 -0500

To: <openk...@googlegroups.com>

ReplyTo: openk...@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: OpenKinect Logo Submissions

[Mathieu Bosi]

hmm, openCHInect?

cheers :)

bdk

2010/11/15 Nink <nin...@gmail.com>

[baby-rabbit]

I'd hope that the kinect is only the first in a long line of
implementation to be based off the Prime Sense reference design.
So maybe a more generic name would be better?

[Joshua Blake]

Just some thoughts:

 

Kinect differs from the PrimeSense reference design enough that it requires specific drivers. Parts of the protocol might be similar but the drivers probably wouldn't be portable to other implementations without modification. There's also no guarantee that other implementations would be low cost, which is the entire attraction of Kinect.

 

Renaming the group (mailing list, website, incoming links, etc.) is a large undertaking and not sure we should do that based upon speculation about an unannounced future product. We could revisit at that point if our direction changes though.

 

Thanks,

Josh

[badoli]

How's about "Freenect"? It's short, clearly pointing to kinect and
symbolizes the freedom of proprietary systems...?

[Florian Lier]

Dear all,

"Freakinect" would also be cool ;)

Cheers, Florian

[Anthony]

ok i'm feeling a little useless round here, i'd like to contribute
something, so heres a logo suggestion, maybe its a bit obvious.
http://www.platformzero.com/openk/openKin.jpg
and a png with transparency
http://www.platformzero.com/openk/openKin.png

On Nov 14, 4:38 pm, Joe <joe.lack...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi All,
>

> I'm creating a new thread for actuallogoconcepts and discussion, as

[Radu Bogdan Rusu]

Nice!

Cheers,
Radu.

[Graham Wiebe]

Heres another logo.

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/322/d/5/open_kinect_logo_by_gwiebe-d334lq0.png

Its a little simple, using the "O" and the "K" in the actual logo. I
like how the "K" when rotated looks like a kinect. This logo has also
been optimized for greyscale conversion.

If you have Ideas for improvement then let me know.

I can supply a vector file upon request.

On Nov 18, 4:26 pm, Anthony <ant.bl...@gmail.com> wrote:
> ok i'm feeling a little useless round here, i'd like to contribute

> something, so heres a logo suggestion, maybe its a bit obvious.http://www.platformzero.com/openk/openKin.jpg
> and a png with transparencyhttp://www.platformzero.com/openk/openKin.png

[Joshua Blake]

I like it! Is the green circle open to represent openness?

[Graham Wiebe]

yep thats the idea.

On Nov 18, 8:08 pm, Joshua Blake <joshbl...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I like it! Is the green circle open to represent openness?

> On Nov 18, 2010 9:04 PM, "Graham Wiebe" <grahamwi...@gmail.com> wrote:> Heres another logo.
>
> http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/322/d/5/open_kinect_logo_by_gw...

[Ralph Brewer]

I concur

 

From: openk...@googlegroups.com [mailto:openk...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Joshua Blake
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2010 9:09 PM
To: openk...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: OpenKinect Logo Submissions

 

I like it! Is the green circle open to represent openness?

[Antonio Ospite]

On Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:08:40 -0500
Joshua Blake <josh...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I like it! Is the green circle open to represent openness?

Like in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opensource.svg

> On Nov 18, 2010 9:04 PM, "Graham Wiebe" <graha...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Heres another logo.
> >
> >
> http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/322/d/5/open_kinect_logo_by_gwiebe-d334lq0.png
> >

I like it too.

Regards,
Antonio

--
Antonio Ospite
http://ao2.it

PGP public key ID: 0x4553B001

A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

[Joshua Blake]

Don't forget to add your logo proposal to the wiki page by 11/21/2010 at 5:00pm UTC:

http://openkinect.org/wiki/Logo_Proposals

 

At that time I'll post a new thread for voting on the proposals.

There are several on this list that are not on the page yet.

[cyril.L]

My attempt to draw someone playing in front of a kinect with letters o and k.
http://cyril.lugan.info/tmp/oK_v1.png
http://cyril.lugan.info/tmp/oK_v1.svg

Thanks to e1f on irc to point out that OK was a stickman turned 90° :)

cyril

[Aurel W.]

Love it. The drop shadow looks a little bit weird at a first glance,
but then it's like the shadow we get from the depth sensor. Maybe you
can try a version, which has a little bit less detail, thicker lines
etc.?

again, just love the ideaa of it, tho it really promotes the original
intended use of the kinect.

[badoli]

On 20 Nov., 10:10, "Aurel W." <aure...@gmail.com> wrote:
> tho it really promotes the original
> intended use of the kinect.

Oh my god, blasphemy! ;)

I think a symbol of dancing isn't all too bad, as it communicates the
freedom to do whatever you want in front of it (or for that matter put
whatever you want in front of it). Then again, we didn't see too many
dance videos up here so far.

[jonathan]

> Trademark infringement relates to the use of the trademark for products or
> services in the marketplace. In this case, we're not using Kinect to
> identify any product or service.
>
> What we're doing is equivalent to any other user group or online group that
> is enthusiastic about a product.

All good points, but then again, I imagine this group could move in
the direction of building a generalized Kinect-like interface that is
entirely open. (Think Arduino.) Some enterprising DIY'er or hardware
company might even make and sell OpenKinect devices for less than a
buck fifty, since we know the BOM is just $56 ; )

In that case, use of the "Kinect" name would certainly be off-limits.
Microsoft registered "Kinect" as a word mark (meaning: a claim to use
of the word itself, independent of how it appears) on goods and
services related to "computer software, computer hardware, and
computer peripherals." (See the USPTO registration dated 10/29/2009:
http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4007:k6ntdc.2.1 )

Tedious as it may be, I think it's worth considering alternatives at
this still early stage. An obvious adjustment might be "OpenKinetic,"
but there may well be better options out there.

Finally, I humbly submit my logo concept rendering both "OpenKinect"
and "OpenKinetic" with simple typography, horizontal two-color layout,
and a bug (just posted to the wiki, as well):
http://clients.junketdesign.com/openkinect/logos/logo_openkinect-01.png
http://clients.junketdesign.com/openkinect/logos/logo_openkinetic-01.png

[Carlos Asmat]

Hi Everyone,

Here is my take on the OpenKinect logo. I tried to get all fancy and make a kind of shiny icon but it may still need some work.
http://files.carlitoscontraptions.com/OpenKinect_Logo_Carlitos.png

This is all vectorial and done with Inkscape, so it should be easy to resize/modify.

Cheers,

Carlos Asmat, Jr. Eng.
carlitoscontraptions.com

[Daven Sanassy]

Good job, jonathan, your logos look stylish, simple, modern and
professional,
I love it!

Cheers,
-Daven

[Chris Laan]

here are a few random logo submissions:

http://labs.laan.com/projects/stuff/O-Clean.png

http://labs.laan.com/projects/stuff/O-Messy.png

http://labs.laan.com/projects/stuff/KinectDotsNoEdges.png

http://labs.laan.com/projects/stuff/KinectDots.png

[Danilo Di Cuia]

Hello there!

I just wrapped up an idea based on the Kinect sensors

http://www.tezzutezzu.com/other/openkinect.jpg

It's just a starting point...

> <O-Clean.png><O-Messy.png><KinectDotsNoEdges.png><KinectDots.png>

[jonathan]

Thanks, Daven! Clearly I was drawing ideas and inspiration from
others' work here, especially Graham's concept.

J

[cyril.L]

Wow a bunch of cool logos today :p
Like Aurel suggested, I tried with thicker lines, good idea !

http://cyril.lugan.info/tmp/oK_v1.png

++
cyril

[Mohamed Ikbel Boulabiar]

Hi,

I am not an expert but this may inspire you:
http://boulabiar.net/openkinect/ok.svg

And I like these one very much:
http://clients.junketdesign.com/openkinect/logos/logo_openkinect-01.png
http://clients.junketdesign.com/openkinect/logos/logo_openkinetic-01.png

i

[Graham Wiebe]

hey Jonathan, I like the logo u made, Glad I could inspire you.

Just a few ideas that I think would benefit your design.
have you tried making the "O" in the logo and the "OPEN" in the text
green? I would suggest the "xbox green"
Also, I think that you might benefit from trying to replicate the font
that xbox uses for your typography.
Just a thought. I like your work so far.

The nice thing about creating a logo for a group like this is that
most of the design is done for you already courtesy of Microsoft.

Keep producing good designs everyone!!

[jonathan]

> Just a few ideas that I think would benefit your design.
> have you tried making the "O" in the logo and the "OPEN" in the text
> green? I would suggest the "xbox green"

Hey Graham, thanks so much. I like what you suggested, and I actually
had tried something like that. Perhaps I can get those alternates
posted for group review.

Some thoughts: When I consider the trademark discussion above, my vote
is actually for this group to change its name to something other than
Kinect for the reasons I mentioned above -- namely, to create more
space under this umbrella for folks to play, e.g. for someone to build
and sell a Kinect-like device without inviting an infringement suit.
In terms of the logo, we need to consider that trademark claims extend
beyond the mark itself ("Kinect") to "trade dress," or all the
aesthetics that make up the XBox/Kinect brand such as color,
typography, etc.

So if we really want to broaden the field in which this group can
play, we will want to migrate its identity away from Microsoft and its
products, brands, colors, type, etc. On the other hand, it still needs
to be recognizable. Striving for balance...

[Graham Wiebe]

Hey Jonathan,

I agree that eventually we will have to change the name for copyright
reasons. however, If we are going to use the kinect as the device that
we are developing for then I think that the color and text should
still represent the kinect.
As long as we use a common classic font (eg. helvetica, futura,
univers, etc.) or create our own typeface then we should be fine. I
don't think you can copyright color, it would be like copyrighting a
note in a musical scale.

obviously when someone has product to sell, it would make sense to re-
brand, but currently we are just a group developing open source
drivers and software for the kinect specifically.

It's a valid thing to be thinking about, I'm glad that you are already
thinking about the future identity of this project.

If this group is planning on changing its name soon, perhaps we should
delay the development of a logo until the name has been finalized.

A suggestion: seeing that we both have clear ideas as to what the logo
should represent, perhaps we could collaborate and bring a joint
solution to the project. Just shoot me an e-mail if your interested.

[Joshua Blake]

If someone does create a Kinect clone, they can publish specs or sell it if they want but they couldn't use the word Kinect in the name or have a confusingly similar logo style. (You know this already.) That doesn't mean the community needs to be renamed because someone is selling compatible hardware. There could be multiple clones with different names.

 

In the future, if PrimeSense or another company comes out with other sensors that are similar to Kinect in functionality and price and if we decide to support those as well, we might decide to update the name and logo at that point. There's nothing announced right now though.

 

For now, I think we should stick with OpenKinect. It will be very advantageous to keep it as OpenKinect because it is easy to find us and easy to figure out what we're about, and there is a lot of interest in Kinect specifically.

 

There are some really nice logo concepts so far.

 

Thanks,

Josh

[chuan_l]

Hi all / just added:


+ Draft "openKinect" concepts & influences: [ updated 21.11.10 ]
El Lissitzky., "Proun" project., elemental shapes -> building
blocks.
Open community., intersecting with hardware / MSFT / camera
frustrum.
Font is 13pt Inconsolata re: programming efforts., season to
flavour.

-

Links:

http://openkinect.org/wiki/Logo_Proposals#Submissions
http://www.lntao.com/images/LN.TAO_Logos_Pathos_Export.png


Cheers,


-- Chuan



[ LN.TAO / Twitter: chuan_l ]

[Joshua Blake]

Final call for logo proposals. I'm cleaning up the page now before posting a voting thread.

[danilod]

Hey Joshua,

I have been refining the concepts and doing a couple of motion tests.

I may be need another hour or two.

Am I still on time or is it too late? :)

On Nov 21, 6:36 pm, Joshua Blake <joshbl...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Final call for logo proposals. I'm cleaning up the page now before posting a
> voting thread.
>
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 5:19 PM, Joshua Blake <joshbl...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Don't forget to add your logo proposal to the wiki page by 11/21/2010 at
> > 5:00pm UTC:
> >http://openkinect.org/wiki/Logo_Proposals
>
> > At that time I'll post a new thread for voting on the proposals.
> > There are several on this list that are not on the page yet.
>
> > ---
> > Joshua Blake
> > Microsoft Surface MVP
>
> > (cell) 703-946-7176

> >  Twitter:http://twitter.com/joshblake<https://mail.infostrat.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://twitter.c...>

[Joshua Blake]

I have to do some chores so I'll leave it open for proposals a few more hours. :) Make sure to add your concept(s) to the page before 11:59pm UTC.

[Danilo Di Cuia]

Alright!

[Jon]

Here's a set from me:

http://fotodojo.smugmug.com/Illustrations/Sample-Illustrations/ok-logos-001-nt/1099698083_zVgEA-L.png

everything is vector. The Kinect graphic itself is also a vector but
isn't a "logo" per se =). Oh and the dancing guy
behind the red dots .. he's just having fun =).

--
Jon

[GlenB]

Good work from all the contributors. I agree with Jonathan that it may
be better to not use the word Kinect to avoid potential copyright
issues, though if we are considering logo designs, they do not have to
spell anything out, it could be just the first letter of each word,
giving the flexibility for a separate discussion around what the K
stands for.

My personal favourites so far are:

#1 - Chris Laan - I really like the multiple dots within the O and way
they have been used to define the K
#2 - Jonathan Hall - I like the way the width of O shape tapers and
the double meaning of the K as the letter and as a visual
representation of the Kinect itself.

[Mohamed Ikbel Boulabiar]

On Sun, Nov 28, 2010 at 5:11 PM, GlenB <glenbi...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> it may be better to not use the word Kinect
> to avoid potential copyright issues

is it a nice idea to use the greek Khi "X" like LaTeX (spelled latek)
in the name ?

OpenXnect ?

i