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Which Kinect SDK is more powerfull in skeleton tracking? the open source (openkinect) SDK or the official SDK?

I'm interested in developing an AR application that needs the Kinect sensor for tracking a human body. This application will use the skeleton tracking data to make live video processing on the human body. Because of this, I need a powerful, live and fast skeleton tracking SDK. Could you please provide me with the differences between these SDKs?

What I found from searching? I didn't find much information or direct answers about my question.I found that the OpenNI framework support skeleton tracking algorithm. But I don't know it's performance or if it will be useful with my application or not.

Here is some information that I found from searching: enter image description here I'm also interested in a general comparison between these SDKs.

Actually, I found a post that made a comparison between them. And it's written that the openkinect is less powerful in skeleton tracking. But this post was written in 2011.

Official Kinect SDK vs. Open-source alternatives

Could you please help?

Solution

  • You pretty much answered your own question:

    • OpenKinect/libfreenect does not provide skeleton tracking.
    • OpenNI provides skeleton tracking through the proprietary NiTE.
    • The Microsoft SDK provides skeleton tracking as well, it basically the same as the skeleton tracking through NiTE.

    I'd go with OpenNI. It is the one most widely supported with wrappers for other frameworks (e.g. OpenCV and PCL and many others) and is cross-platform.
    But for skeleton tracking, you would need to get NiTE from some unofficial source, since the official source (PrimeSense) doesn't exist anymore (was bought by Apple and shut down).