Microsoft Kinect 3d Scanner

[Maya Malbon]

Thexbox one kinect requires a very specific Intel chipset driving your USB 3.0 port. Something Microsoft fail to mention clearly in the adaptor requirements. Also 64 bit win 8.1 or higher. There is a very hard to find app from microsoft that will check your PC for compatibility but its well hidden. A lot of the very expensive software for the original kinect work poorly if at all and have terrible support.

Well that sure sounds like a bit of bad luck, yes you do need a 64 bit processor to run the Kinect SDK v2.0 and the 3D Scan and Design App. USB 3.0 port is necessary as well. The results are very fluid so far for me, much better than the alternative DIY scanners out there. The Microsoft 3D scan app looks to be brand new, in the last month or so.

Actually, if you get a kinect v1, the previous model, its work as well with pretty much the same quality even if the scanning time is longer. Otherwise, it work with USB 2.0, windows 7 and 32/64bits computer. The kinect v1 is also quite cheap if you succeed to get one on second hand. So it a worth to try. Keep in mind than photogrammetry is also a good alternative. In both case, keep in mind that the model should stay still during the scanning process.

I am not quite sure about the Kinect v2 but the Kinect v1 work with infrared light so you could scan even in the dark. Of course, you will get only the surface not the texture. But in 3D printing, except in you have color 3D printer, the texture of the model doesnt matter.

Dear Felipe,

unfortunately I am still stuck and unable to convert Kinect point cloud to mesh inside Grasshopper environment.

I did find tutorials in Houdini converting point cloud to mesh but how do I do the same for grasshopper.

the point cloud generated using Kinect contains ID, color, point, position. I believe converting it to mesh should not be hard with nearest point logic but how???

thanks alot Dear Martin, I agree that Firefly kinect is good at importing the point cloud to grasshopper env. but then converting these point cloud to mesh is where i am stuck. I will follow the recommendations suggested by you, Felipe and Riccardo and post the results here. thanks alot for taking time reading my thread

thank you martin for your recommendation.

it looks really powerful managing point cloud data compared to gh. I will get more in deep in it. thank you again for the suggestion

by the way could you give me your feedback on trimble x7 scanner? are they better than Artec scanners?

The scan of solid objects, better known as 3D scanning, allows to obtain computer models with which to create virtual digital scenarios, characters to integrate in animations and videogames, but also and especially files to be used for 3D printing and for manufacturing via CNC milling machines.

Ever since 3D printers have been spread to the general public, to scan a face, a bust, but also any object has become an ambition of many hobbyists; but unfortunately the machinery to do it (that is to say, the 3D scanners), is very expensive and undoubtely beyond the means of the common user. In these pages we propose to actually use the Kinect (the motion sensing device for Xbox players) to acquire the shape of the objects via appropriate programs, that are even freely available on the Internet.

The usage of the GPUs of graphics cards implies some compatibility limits, and in fact along with the software a compatibility list is supplied with the various graphics cards. The software has two operating modes: a normal one (Standard, with a 1x1x1m volume, subdivided in 256 elements for each dimension) or a high resolution one (Hi-res, with the same volume, but with 512 elements). The operation of the compatible cards is not guaranteed for both modes.

To create our 3D model, we need to have installed the ReconstructMe software and the SDK for the Kinect. This last one can be downloaded from the Microsoft website (www.microsoft.com/en-us/kinectforwindows/), that supplies a series of drivers that allow to use the various Kinect versions. ReconstructMe can be downloaded from the website at the address , by clicking on the download button that can be seen on the left of the corresponding page; the software includes a series of predefined profiles. In practice, download the file with the .msi extension and proceed with the installation; the installer of ReconstructMe will essentially ask you a directory in which to install everything.

As for the part concerning the video card, you must have some drivers supporting OpenCL and it may be a good idea to check the website of the card or computer manufacturer, to download the most recent drivers. As indicated in the compatibility table (Table 1), only some video card models have such drivers, for other and more recent ones this is not certain and it is convenient to check the dedicated section of the website, that is periodically updated.

Possibly, try to experiment with the modification of the parameters of the configuration files, by following the indications of the documentation that is available on the website, maybe by defining a different scanning volume.

The most important point of view in this phase is to find a position in which the sensor operates at its best, and manages to produce reasonable details of what has been framed. Practice by trying to rotate the subject being taken, and by shooting from different vertical angles. The minimum distance to position the subject is about 70 cm, also considering the fact that Microsoft advices, for Kinect, a distance from the player whose movements will be detected, typically 1 meter and 80 cm.

The first thing to do after having installed the program is to launch it and to open the .ply file (with the File>Open command) containing the scan; something like what can be seen in figure will appear.

It is possible to further develop the model obtained, by means of a program like Sculptris that allows, for example, to refine the split parts (sometimes protuberances like a nose may appear split in the scan with Kinect) or reliefs that are mistakenly created during the scan, in other words, to add and to shape elements as if working with clay.

The orientation is needed because of the fact that, during the scan, it is easy that the subject was not properly keeping a straight back, but rather a curved and bent one, probably because to stay motionless he chose a comfortable position. With Netfabb it is possible to correct the stance, by rotating the model of a certain number of degrees on the X axis, remembering that if the chin does not appear horizontally aligned, but it is slightly bent upwards, it will be possible to print without supports, while if it is straight, it is necessary to activate the printing supports.

Always by using Netfabb Studio, it is possible to further modify the model, by means of the repair function; this is not needed if you use the .STL file generated by Meshlab, but in the case you operate with Sculptris and by mistake you create a hole on the surface of the piece. By using an exclamation mark, Netfabb Studio warns about the existence of potential printing issues: in this case, the software will automatically propose the repairing, during the export phase (the repairing can be done with an online service made available by Netfabb Studio). Only after the slicing is done, however, you will know if everything is alright or not.

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I was curious if any one out there has tried 3d scanning? I have an xbox 360 kinect sensor that i hooked up to the pc using the trial Skanect software. With the free version i have made a few cool scans which you can import into Fusion 360. Just down loaded mesh mixer and will see if i can figure out something cool. If anyone has any experience of ideas for work flows would love to hear about them.

I do a lot of 3d scanning, been working on a custom rig for about a year now for facial scans. Photogrammetry is the way to go for good scans, the kinect is very low resolution. here is a raw scan before touch up Raw untouched - 3D model by Cre8tive 3D (@brian33433) [5c9ac35] - Sketchfab

Build a DIY Desktop 3d Scanner With Infinite Resolution.: If you already have a camera then this project will cost less than $50 to complete. If you like to shop on AliExpress you can probably build it for around $30. If you like to support your...

I love it thanks!!! I new someone here would be doing it!! I went with the kinect as i had it on hand. I was thinking the scans could be starting points for solid models in fusion. I will post once i get something worth showing. And by the way x carved is definitely a legit verb!

: Great Photogrammetry software, highly recommended, can do amazing stuff with it, runs $179 for a standalone license. Or if you want to get your feet wet for free (but low-quality), check out Autodesk 123D Catch, runs on your phone.

do you have the limited or the payed version?

I am interested in the detail you can get.

I have some specific applications I would like to try as the photo based scanners I have tried do not fair as well.

Many people ask for a software during the last year. Until last year this was only a proof of concept project for me. But the good news is that i will make it happen. I am working simultaneously on the FabScanPi project . Most of the FabScanPi software can be reused for this project. Thats the reason why i prepared the FabScanPi software to add a module for Kinect support in the last month.

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