Mastering the Microsoft Kinect: Body Tracking, Object Detection, and the Azure Cloud Services

Developers who want to build demanding Kinect apps and games, and those who are looking for a careful balance between theoretical knowledge and practical application that favors the practical. Readers should have a basic knowledge of C# and some familiarity with the Unity3D engine.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 13 April 2022
Publisher: APress

This comprehensive book delves into the realm of programming the Microsoft Kinect, a cutting-edge device that revolutionizes human-computer interaction through gestures and motion. With a focus on practicality, it covers the essential mathematics and theoretical background required for depth sensing, motion tracking, and object recognition. By maintaining a clear and concise approach, the book equips readers with the skills to effectively utilize the Kinect for a wide range of applications that engage directly with humans.

The book begins by introducing the fundamentals of depth sensing and motion tracking, providing a solid foundation for understanding the underlying principles. Readers will learn to track the human body in three-dimensional space, analyze the human motion, and remove the background to isolate the person being tracked. This enables developers to create immersive and interactive experiences that respond to the user's gestures and movements.

Furthermore, the book delves into recognizing objects and voice, showcasing the power of cloud-powered artificial intelligence. Readers will explore how to leverage Azure Cognitive Services on Microsoft's cloud platform to achieve accurate object and voice recognition, enabling their applications to "see" objects and respond to their environment. This opens up a world of possibilities for creating interactive and intelligent systems that enhance user experiences.

Throughout the book, real-world applications are emphasized, with step-by-step tutorials and source code for common use cases. The author, who has extensive experience working with startups and Fortune 500 companies, has drawn examples directly from the industry, ensuring that the content is relevant and applicable to developers seeking to build demanding Kinect apps and games. The practical focus of the book simplifies the core principles, removing the clutter and allowing developers to start writing code right away.

In addition, the book covers the use of Azure Cognitive Services on Microsoft's cloud platform, enabling developers to harness the power of cloud computing for their Kinect applications. This includes leveraging cloud-based algorithms for object and voice recognition, enhancing the capabilities and performance of Kinect-based systems.

Whether you are a developer, researcher, or enthusiast looking to explore the possibilities of the Microsoft Kinect, this book is an invaluable resource. It provides a comprehensive and practical guide that covers the mathematics, theoretical background, and practical applications of the device, enabling you to create groundbreaking applications that interact seamlessly with humans through gestures and motion.

Weight: 544g
Dimension: 254 x 178 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781484280690
Edition number: 1st ed.