Kinect SDK Ambiguous Range

JAMES MORGENSTERN 176 Reputation points
2020-12-09T19:12:55.08+00:00

This is about how Kinect ranging/depth map/ works under the hood. Kinect supposedly is a TOF sensor ... that is, it measures range according to time of flight. Some systems for ranging transmit pulses and some system operate by transmitting CW [continuous wave]. Moreover, CW systems measure range ambiguously and so the systems use multiple modulation frequencies to derive unambiguous range from several ambiguous measurements -- this is part of the Kinect processing that occurs in the SDK.

Can you confirm that the Kinect is working CW? And I would like to know the modulation frequencies used for Kinect range/depth.

Also, for my problem I can work with relative ranges within a single sensed image; therefore I can use ambiguous range/depth information. How can I obtain this data ? that is, the raw Kinect sensor data without range processing and without other transformations in the SDK ?

Azure Kinect DK
Azure Kinect DK
A Microsoft developer kit and peripheral device with advanced artificial intelligence sensors for sophisticated computer vision and speech models.
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  1. AshokPeddakotla-MSFT 34,616 Reputation points
    2020-12-15T07:27:48.13+00:00

    @JAMES MORGENSTERN

    Can you confirm Kinect is working on CW?

    Yes. Here is a link to the paper about our ToF chip used in AKDK.
    https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8310200

    Also, It’s not clear what the problem you are trying to solve. Please share more details regarding your scenario. Suggest you to check this link that specifies the available operating modes. Azure Kinect DK hardware specifications

  2. John Mitchell 1 Reputation point
    2021-07-07T16:32:22.87+00:00

    I too would like to know more about the modulation frequencies for the ToF camera. Is it possible for the user to specify a particular frequency for a particular application (as is the case, for example, with the Texas Instruments ToF sensor) or must one stick with what MS has determined is best. My potential application would require that I be able to set a single known mod frequency of my choosing....

    John

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