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Microsoft Has Stopped Manufacturing The Kinect

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Re: Microsoft Has Stopped Manufacturing The Kinect

#231

Post by mycall »

JaRail wrote: post #195
dwighttk wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought I read Tesla got away from LIDAR because it won't be inexpensive enough for consumers any time soon.

Not entirely. LIDAR has other issues important when building self-driving cars. LIDAR can't read signs. LIDAR doesn't work well in the rain, though progress is being made these days.. And don't forget the cameras tesla uses don't rely solely on the visual spectrum we see. They can still see through fog via infrared, for example.

Can different LIDARs interfere with each other? I can't see cars using it when all the cars are using it.

Re: Microsoft Has Stopped Manufacturing The Kinect

#232

Post by chillingeffect »

JaRail wrote: post #195
dwighttk wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought I read Tesla got away from LIDAR because it won't be inexpensive enough for consumers any time soon.

Not entirely. LIDAR has other issues important when building self-driving cars. LIDAR can't read signs. LIDAR doesn't work well in the rain, though progress is being made these days.. And don't forget the cameras tesla uses don't rely solely on the visual spectrum we see. They can still see through fog via infrared, for example.

Can't the LIDAR eventually be made to use IR wavelengths and thus synthesize 3-d images through fog?

also, the question of seeing the fog is more nuanced that can see/can't see:

"Just like it is impossible to give a simple answer to the question “How far can I see with a thermal imaging camera?”, it is equally impossible to say how much shorter the range will be in foggy or rainy conditions. This is not only dependant on the atmospheric conditions and the type of fog but it is also dependent on the IR camera used and on the properties of the target (size, temperature difference of the target and background, etc)" [http://www.flir.com/uploadedFiles/FOG_techNote_LR.pdf]

Re: Microsoft Has Stopped Manufacturing The Kinect

#233

Post by sersi »

dalfonso wrote: post #96

One thing that hasn't been mentioned: Kinect was Microsoft's reaction to Wii's success. I worked at Microsoft when the first Kinect came out. I spoke with a few members of that team (non-engineers). My question was very clear -- are you expecting this to takeover for controller based gaming? I don't recall all the responses, but I think the overall sentiment was along the lines of "No, but it might", whereas my thoug…

I bought an Xbox because of the kinect (and two of my friends did the same). I tend to play on my computer otherwise but the kinect was fun and something different. Just wished there had been more games using the kinect better.

Having games that are fun and allow me to play without plopping down in my sofa is definitely a plus. I get enough sitting done when working.

Re: Microsoft Has Stopped Manufacturing The Kinect

#235

Post by CardenB »

mycall wrote: post #231
JaRail wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not entirely. LIDAR has other issues important when building self-driving cars. LIDAR can't read signs. LIDAR doesn't work well in the rain, though progress is being made these days.. And don't forget the cameras tesla uses don't rely solely on the visual spectrum we see. They can still see through fog via infrared, for example.

Can different LIDARs interfere with each other? I can't see cars using it when all the cars are using it.

The timing is so precise this isn’t a huge issue.

Re: Microsoft Has Stopped Manufacturing The Kinect

#236

Post by skeletonjelly »

cattleprodigy wrote: post #74

My favorite Kinect art installation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD7gk2kHP3g

We were going to do this for a big new hospital in Melbourne but the guy running the project was a jerk and didn't go with us.

It's a great idea for kids hospitals!

Re: Microsoft Has Stopped Manufacturing The Kinect

#239

Post by njharman »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #40
robotresearcher wrote: post #38

The Kinect was a real boon for robotics research. A depth camera that worked pretty well, with skeleton extraction and directional audio? And the price is what!? My lab still uses a first gen Kinect regularly. Thanks to Jamie Shotton and the team for a sensor that made a difference to an incidental community. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/video/body-part-rec...

This is actually a reason I am kind of surprised to see Microsoft just shut this down outright. Even as a much more limited run product, Kinect has so many possibilities in robotics and research, and it intersects with the VR/AR developments today.

The core is still being made for use in ther MR/VR headsets.

Re: Microsoft Has Stopped Manufacturing The Kinect

#240

Post by akoncius »

teraflop wrote: post #91
polpo wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Occipital still produces the Structure Sensor [1], which uses similar technology to the 1st generation Kinect. They've also recently introduced the Structure Core [2], a new generation, miniaturized depth sensor designed to be embedded into anything that needs that kind of sensing. [1] https://structure.io [2] https://structure.io/core

It's not a true replacement if it costs 10-20x as much, though.

it is, if all agree that original Kinect price was subsidized based on plan to get the rest of the money through purchase of games
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