freenect-python3-howto

How to compile freenect in debian 11 and python3.This is valid for Kinect v1 (XBOX 360), the old one ;-)

Prerequisites

sudo apt install freeglut3-dev libusb-1.0-0-dev libopengl-dev cmake -y
sudo pip install numpy

Build and install

git clone https://github.com/OpenKinect/libfreenect
cd libfreenect
mkdir build
cd build
cmake .. -DBUILD_PYTHON3=ON -DCYTHON_EXECUTABLE=/usr/bin/cython3 -DPython3_EXACTVERSION=3.9.2
make -j4
sudo make install

Fixes

For use freenect in global python3 interpreter:

sudo ln -s /usr/local/lib/python3/dist-packages/freenect.so /usr/local/lib/python3.9/dist-packages/

If trows "ImportError: libfreenect_sync.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory"

sudo cp /usr/local/lib/libfreenect* /usr/lib/ 

For use in virtualenv, when use virtualenvwrapper:

workon my-venv
add2virtualenv /usr/local/lib/python3/dist-packages/

For ubuntu users, to gain access over the kinect without root privileges

sudo adduser $USER video

Then create a the rules for the divice

sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/51-kinect.rules

Paste this

# ATTR{product}=="Xbox NUI Motor"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="045e", ATTR{idProduct}=="02b0", MODE="0666"
# ATTR{product}=="Xbox NUI Audio"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="045e", ATTR{idProduct}=="02ad", MODE="0666"
# ATTR{product}=="Xbox NUI Camera"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="045e", ATTR{idProduct}=="02ae", MODE="0666"
# ATTR{product}=="Xbox NUI Motor"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="045e", ATTR{idProduct}=="02c2", MODE="0666"
# ATTR{product}=="Xbox NUI Motor"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="045e", ATTR{idProduct}=="02be", MODE="0666"
# ATTR{product}=="Xbox NUI Motor"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="045e", ATTR{idProduct}=="02bf", MODE="0666"

Uninstall

sudo make uninstall

Check for orphans files in /usr/local/lib, /usr/local/lib/python3 and /usr/local/lib/python3.9 folders.

Demo script

import freenect
import cv2
import numpy as np

"""
Grabs a depth map from the Kinect sensor and creates an image from it.
"""
def getDepthMap():	
    depth, timestamp = freenect.sync_get_depth()
    np.clip(depth, 0, 2**10 - 1, depth)
    depth >>= 2
    depth = depth.astype(np.uint8)
    return depth

print("Press <ESC> key to exit...")
while True:
    depth = getDepthMap()
    blur = cv2.GaussianBlur(depth, (5, 5), 0)
    cv2.imshow('image (<ESC> to exit)', blur)
    if cv2.waitKey(10) == 27:
        break
print("Bye!")