Given someone has proven you can power the Kinect via batteries, its clear that we need a Gadgeteer module to interface with Kinect as possibilities are just way to much fun to pass on. A self powered Kinect on my Rover would be way too cool.
2 Likes
Cool!
Alas, it may still be beyond the capability of most mCus to process all the data that comes back from the sensor. Cool as it would be to put a Kinect on a robot with just a Gadgeteer, it’s not just the sensor that makes the magic…it’s the SDK and runtime, too.
And yes, I’m raining on your parade. I’ll go sit in the corner now. 
May I introduce you to my good friend Gordon Moore (technically we should refer to him as Dr. Moore). I know its a hungry beast as there is one on my desk staring at me right now, but oh I dream can’t I.
I’m working on a LED project that uses a Kinect (actually 2), and can confirm that the 4 yr old laptop we’re attempting to use is having trouble keeping up with all that data. However, there are some really nice small form factor PCs available (that are just outside of our budget 
). NETMF will not be able to handle a Kinect SDK port anytime soon, but we can dream. In the meantime, the combination of a small windows PC and a NETMF board or two would really make for a great remote/robotic platform if you’re using a Kinect. I think something like this may already exist with some other uC, but I can’t remember it’s name.
We’ll get there from here, but we’ll have to be patient.
Of course you can (and should). Just be prepared for reality, too.
MS NUC: http://techreport.com/news/23066/intel-4-inch-next-unit-of-computing-to-cost-400 I’d imagine providing power for a long runtime would be an issue. This article mentioned that a Celeron version might be forth coming.
Would a Pi or it’s ilk be able to keep up?
Have you looked at Fit-PC3? Might need the Intense though…
My job is to change reality to the future.