Azure Kinect camera setup (automated scripts for Linux and Windows)

This document contains instructions/notes on how to install the Azure Kinect camera. Here I collected experiences that have arisen during the development of the following software for Azure Kinect DK camera:

• AK_ACQS Azure Kinect Acquisition System
• AK_SM_RECORDER - Azure Kinect Standalone Mode
• AK_FRAEX - Azure Kinect Frame Extractor
• AK_SW_BENCHMARKER - Azure Kinect Size Estimation & Weight Prediction Benchmarker
• AK_VIDEO_ANALYSER - Azure Kinect Video Analyser

Another resource I'm trying to maintain is on ResearchGate, but I can't promise it will stay up to date for long.

• ResearchGate - Azure Kinect camera information resources

And this research related to RGB-D cameras:

Resources	Description
Fruit sizing using AI: A review of methods and challenges	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2023.112587 Artificial intelligence Fruit detection Fruit measure Image processing Deep learning Fruit quality
Assessing automatic data processing algorithms for RGB-D cameras to predict fruit size and weight in apples	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2023.108302 Azure Kinect Fruit sizing Allometric weight models Apple tree Digital fruit growing
AKFruitData: A dual software application for Azure Kinect cameras to acquire and extract informative data in yield tests performed in fruit orchard environments	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2022.101231 RGB-D camera Data acquisition Data extraction Fruit yield trials Precision fructiculture
AKFruitYield: Modular benchmarking and video analysis software for Azure Kinect cameras for fruit size and fruit yield estimation in apple orchards	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2023.101548 RGB-D camera Fruit detection Apple fruit sizing Yield prediction Allometry

If you find these notes useful, please let me know. I would be very happy. Feel free to contact me and if the code is useful to you, please let me know.

This is not intended to replace official documents, it is produced as a complementary guide in my learning path, official Microsoft documents can be found at:

• Azure Kinect DK documentation
• Azure Kinect Sensor SDK download
• Azure Kinect sensor SDK system requirements

Official tools to manage the camera and sensors can be found in:

• Azure Kinect viewer
• Azure Kinect recorder
• Azure Kinect firmware tool

This document is organized as following:

• 1. Quick configuration using scripts on Linux systems.
• 2. Installing in Linux environments.
• 3. Installing in Windows 10 environments.
• 4. Using manufacturer tools: ka4viewer, recorder, pyk4a.

1. Quick configuration using scripts on Linux systems

In Linux systems you can install packages using Bash scripts, tested in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 22.04. A super fast script for impatient people, copy and paste it!!!

1.1 Quick setup in Ubuntu 18.04

git clone https://github.com/juancarlosmiranda/azure_kinect_notes.git && cd azure_kinect_notes && chmod 755 install_azure_kinect_camera_u_18.04.sh

./install_azure_kinect_camera_u_18.04.sh

1.2 Quick setup in Ubuntu 20.04

Ubuntu 20.04 is included in the list of supported operating systems (Configuring the repositories).

git clone https://github.com/juancarlosmiranda/azure_kinect_notes.git && cd azure_kinect_notes && chmod 755 install_azure_kinect_camera_u_20.04.sh

./install_azure_kinect_camera_u_20.04.sh

1.3 Quick setup in Ubuntu 22.04

According to the manufacturer, support is mentioned only for Ubuntu 18.04 (Linux installation instructions).

git clone https://github.com/juancarlosmiranda/azure_kinect_notes.git && cd azure_kinect_notes && chmod 755 install_azure_kinect_camera_u_22.04.sh

./install_azure_kinect_camera_u_22.04.sh

Check the camera with this tool k4aviewer.

sudo k4aviewer

• You can check if k4viewer is working with these videos recorded with Azure Kinect camera, optional video samples are available at here

Go to (Section 4. Using manufacturer tools: ka4viewer, recorder), if you wanto to know about the manufacturer tools.

2. Installing in Linux environments

Follow these instructions if you want to complete the installation process step by step without an automatic shell script.

The official site of the SDK in Gihub is "Using Azure Kinect SDK" Please consider to take note about special issues in Linux Devide Setup section. In the official site ( 06/02/2023), the manufacturer provides support for Ubuntu 16.04 (Xenial), Ubuntu 18.04 (Bionic), Ubuntu 20.04 (Focal).

2.1 Common steps

Remove old packages and make cleaning of the system.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get autoclean

Install network tools and ssh server to connect remotely.

sudo apt install net-tools
sudo apt-get install openssh-server
sudo systemctl enable ssh --now
sudo systemctl start ssh

The "essential Tools" package are not part of the normal installation, but are useful after a default installation on Ubuntu 18.04, 20.04, 22.04 systems. If you have some of them installed, ignore this paragraph.

sudo apt-get install build-essential
sudo apt-get install cmake
sudo apt-get install libgtk2.0-dev
sudo apt-get install libusb-1.0
sudo apt-get install ffmpeg
sudo apt-get install mlocate
sudo apt-get install locate
sudo apt install curl
sudo apt install git

Remove old packages to avoid conflicts.

sudo apt remove libk4a*
sudo apt remove libk4abt*
sudo apt remove libk4a1*

2.1 Install repositories Ubuntu 18.04

curl -sSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo apt-key add -
sudo apt-add-repository https://packages.microsoft.com/ubuntu/18.04/prod
curl -sSL https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/18.04/prod.list | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-prod.list
curl -sSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo apt-key add -
sudo apt-get update

2.2 Install repositories Ubuntu 20.04

curl -sSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/microsoft.asc
sudo apt-add-repository https://packages.microsoft.com/ubuntu/20.04/prod
sudo apt-get update

2.3 Install repositories Ubuntu 22.04

In Ubuntu 22.04 download libsoundio1_1.1.0-1_amd64.deb from Ubuntu Packages

curl -sSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/microsoft.asc
sudo apt-add-repository https://packages.microsoft.com/ubuntu/22.04/prod
sudo apt-get update
wget mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/libs/libsoundio/libsoundio1_1.1.0-1_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i libsoundio1_1.1.0-1_amd64.deb

2.4 Install new package from repository

To all the aforementioned Linux systems.

Install new package from repository

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libk4a1.4
sudo apt install libk4a1.4-dev
sudo apt install k4a-tools

2.5 Modify /etc/udev/rules.d

Copy file "99-k4a.rules to" present in this repository to /etc/udev/rules.d, this is necessary for us Azure Kinect tools without be root user. The file is saved in this repository.

sudo cp 99-k4a.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/

Testing with tool k4aviewer.

sudo k4aviewer

You can check installed software with:

sudo apt list -a libk4a*
sudo apt list -a libk4abt1.1
sudo apt list -a libk4abt1.1-dev

**IMPORTANT NOTE ** DON'T FORGET copy this file "99-k4A.rules" Linux Device Setup

** ... Linux Device Setup

On Linux, once attached, the device should automatically enumerate and load all drivers. However, in order to use the Azure Kinect SDK with the device and without being 'root', you will need to setup udev rules. We have these rules checked into this repo under 'scripts/99-k4a.rules'. To do so:

Copy 'scripts/99-k4a.rules' into '/etc/udev/rules.d/'.
Detach and reattach Azure Kinect devices if attached during this process.

Once complete, the Azure Kinect camera is available without being 'root'. ... **

3. Installing in Windows 10 environments

Last update at (06/02/2023).

• (Windows installation instructions)[https://github.com/microsoft/Azure-Kinect-Sensor-SDK/blob/develop/docs/usage.md]

• (Azure Kinect SDK v1.4.1.exe)[https://download.microsoft.com/download/3/d/6/3d6d9e99-a251-4cf3-8c6a-8e108e960b4b/Azure%20Kinect%20SDK%201.4.1.exe]

4. Using manufacturer tools: ka4viewer, recorder

In this section, the necessary steps are explained to use tools to record, view videos, program with the Azure Kinect camera.

4.1 Record videos from CMD

Official site "Azure Kinect recorder". Open CMD console in Windows and enter to the folder.

cd "C:\Program Files\Azure Kinect SDK v1.4.1\tools"

You can record data with:

k4arecorder.exe -l 5 C:\Users\User\output.mkv
k4arecorder.exe -l 5 %HOMEDRIVE%HOMEPATH%\output.mkv

You can record data using IMU activated with:

k4arecorder.exe --imu -l 5 %HOMEDRIVE%HOMEPATH%\output.mkv

Check another options of k4arecorder.exe.

k4arecorder.exe /?

4.2 View recorded videos and real time data

To use "Azure Kinect viewer" open CMD console in Windows and enter to the folder.

cd "C:\Program Files\Azure Kinect SDK v1.4.1\tools"

You can open the viewer with:

k4aviewer.exe

Download the examples videos and check with k4aviewer from here

4.3 Optional installation of pyk4a Python Library

If you prefer Python, you can install pyk4a Python Library to manage the camera and sensors.

pip install pyk4a

Programming examples (IN PROGRESS...)

Other resources

• Azure Kinect camera information resources.
• AK_FRAEX - Azure Kinect Frame Extractor demo videos
• Azure Kinect DK Code Samples Repository. Examples focused in C/C++/C#
• pyk41. In forlder "example/", code written in Python.

Authorship

Please contact author to report bugs juancarlos.miranda@udl.cat, last update 07/02/2023.

Citation

If you find this code useful, please consider citing: Azure Kinect camera setup (automated scripts for Linux and Windows).