TipTep Skeletonizer is an open source middleware, based on OpenNI platform, which provides tools and APIs that can be used to extract the geometric skeleton of the hand from depth images. Geometric skeleton of the hand is a simplified version of hand`s depth image, which contains all necessary information about hand`s gesture and can be used to store and compare hand/finger gestures.

Introduction

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Some types of HCI applications require to store hand`s gesture information in the database, compare gestures and analyze hand`s posture. To solve these tasks it is inefficient to use hand`s whole depth or RGB images, because:

1. Images require big space in the database

2. It is time costly to compare images

3. Image analysis require knowledge of computer vision algorithms

As an official middleware partner of OpenNI consortium we provide a library, which makes these tasks easier. In computer vision it is a popular technique to use object`s geometric skeleton to store and compare two objects in the image. Now you can use this technique to analyze and recognize hand`s custom gestures via hand`s image simplified descriptor – hand`s skeleton. 

Resources

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• Installation steps

  Follow these steps to install required modules:

  • Install Microsoft .Net framework 4

  • Install OpenNI 2 SDK

  • Install Nite 2 middleware

  • Install Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x86 Redistributable (in the case you don`t have Visual Studio 2010 installed in your system)

• TipTep Skeletonizer SDK structure

  In our SDK you can find

  • TipTep.HandSkeleton.net.dll library, which you`ll use to extract hand`s skeleton from depth image

  • Two samples, which will allow you to record and watch recorded gestures and their skeletons

  • Documentation

  • Source codes of our samples to make your development easier.

• System requirements

  Supported Operating Systems:

  • Windows XP SP3

  • Windows Server 2003 SP2

  • Windows Vista SP1 or later

  • Windows Server 2008 (not supported on Server Core Role)

  • Windows 7

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 (not supported on Server Core Role)

  • Windows 7 SP1

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

  Hardware Requirements:

  • Recommended Minimum: Pentium 1 GHz or higher with 512 MB RAM or more

  • Microsoft Kinect sensor or Asus Xtion Pro.

  Software requirements:

  • Microsoft .NET Framework 4

  • Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x86/x64 Redistributable

  • OpenNI2.x

  • NITE 2.x

• License

  TipTep Skeletonizer is written and distributed under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) which means that you have

  • the freedom to use the software for any purpose,

  • the freedom to change the software to suit your needs,

  • the freedom to share the software with your friends and neighbors.

  TipTep Skeletonizer is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.