R5 (v7) Intel RealSense SDK now available

[Colleen_C_Intel]

R5.hf1 (v. 7) of the SDK is now available for download from:  https://software.intel.com/en-us/intel-realsense-sdk/download as are the multiple versions of the runtime installers and DCMs. Note the latest DCM for Windows 8.1 is posted on the download page, but the latest version for Windows 10 will be updated with Windows Update mechanism so numbers will be higher in the last section. 
Review what's new in v7 at https://software.intel.com/en-us/blogs/2015/11/18/whats-news-in-rs-sdk-r5
 

[MartyG]

I've upgraded my Unity 5 project to the new SDK and experienced no problems at all.  The faster FPS performance mentioned in the release notes was also true for my project.

It was a bit disappointing that the mis-rotation issues present in the Unity Action scripts since launch have still not been addressed (objects rotating when the wrist is turned even if wrist tracking is not set, and objects jumping position when the fingers are closed into a fist.)   I'll keep asking about it though until it's fixed officially or I finally manage to develop a fix myself.  :)

Overall, an excellent and very stable release!

[Michael_W_4]

I upgraded to the new sdk and I think face detection in c# broke. The sample face detection application example in the Intel RealSense SDK rarely detects my face. In addition, if it does correctly detect landmarks on my face, the world.x, world.y, and world.z coordinates are incorrect. For example landmark.world.z is always zero.

[DKryd]

i installed offline package after uninstall of previous version. it appears that there has been no new development for the r200? is the sr300 a replacement for the r200? will there be a developer kit for the sr300? I has read that the r200 was most likely the model that would be used in the upcoming device made along with google. Is that still in the works or will the sr300 be the model that will be embedded into a google device?

several of the r200 samples no longer work get the message Tracking Accuracy : Failed - Relocalizing

however nothing happens, the sample does not respond.

is there any method to determine if the new firmware or the sdk or the sample is at fault?

[Rick_S_]

In the release notes for SDK version 7.0.23.8048, it states the DCM version for the F200 as 1.4.27.48405 on page 1 and again on page 5.

On the DCM download page, the version posted is 1.4.27.41944 dated 8/25/2015. Is there an updated DCM file for the F200 forthcoming?

Thanks

[MartyG]

Reading the notes about the new SDK release in the link at the top of this article, it says that the SR300 is the "next gen front-facing camera".  Front-facing means it's a replacement for the F200 desktop camera.  The rear-facing R200 camera is known as being World-Facing.  The information also says that a developer kit will be available to order from Q1 2016 (between January and March 2016).

Regarding development for the R200, if you go to page 14 of the full PDF release notes for this SDK then you can see what's updated for the R200.

http://registrationcenter.cps.intel.com/irc_nas/8438/release_notes_sdk_r5_hf1.pdf

[Konstantin_S_Intel]

One of the most important updates for R200 is NEW middleware: Person Tracking.

We are looking for feedback on this new MW, please give it a try!

[DKryd]

it seems sensor support requires a r200 camera, not the sr300. that would indicate to me that the r200 is still the google embedded camera. the scanning is good but with the samples the tracking accuracy failed message i do not know how to resolve since the sample offers no frame rate selection down to 30 which is suggested. and having to stay at 30fps is not much of a work around actually since that restricts movements i would guess.

Edit: further work with the r200 particularly with the measurement app i have discovered that the r200 relies on what seems to be a specific set of rules within its localization process concerning the image properties present when one wants to measure something. in other words by moving the camera it eventually finds whatever it requires to consider the image ok for measurement. the problem with this is what someone wants measured may not present the image the camera wants thus making measurement impossible at that point.

[DKryd]

i was reading the dcm release notes R200 2.0HF2, the new specs have gone to 6th gen SKL-Y Intel core processor. so i guess the obvious stupid questions are, What does this mean for those of us who have the previous spec 4th gen Intel computers? best not to update to the new DCM? left in the past if we do not upgrade to 6th gen computers? some aspects of camera may work others may not?

BTW: person tracking does not work here, the sample starts fine but there is no obvious indication that anything but a videostream is happening.

[MartyG]

I would guess that the new specs are Intel's ideal recommendations.  For example, when RealSense launched, the recommended processor was gen-4 Haswell because that was the currently available processor generation.  Not long after that, the 5th generation Broadwell came out and RealSense worked fine on that too.  

Also, at launch in 2014, it was thought that Intel Core processors were absolutely required for RealSense because that's what the specs strongly recommended.  It turned out later on though that non-core and even AMD processors work with RealSense to varying extents (though using a Core seems to be the most certain way to get access to the full feature-set).

In general, specs are guidelines.  Unless a specific hardware feature is required, they are generally flexible, since - like with PC games publishing - Intel cannot test every possible combination of hardware and software that will be found on a particular user's PC.

At RealSense's launch, Intel set the technical specs bar high (Windows 8.1, USB 3 and the then-latest Gen 4 CPU because they didn't want RealSense's performance to be hobbled by old legacy technology. The same principle is likely at work here.  With newer versions of the camera coming such as the SR-300 (the next-gen replacement for the F200), they want people to have PCs that can make the very most of the new capabilities that those latest cameras will have.

[DKryd]

i think intel refers to the specs as requirements and not recommendations

[Dragos_Ioan_C_]

Since in the new SDK you have the possibility to use 6DOF IMUs for better accuracy of the absolute positioning of the camera indorrs, an Android version of the SDK should be highly appreciated, since for Windows, AFAIK the only appliances having integrated sensors are the Surface hybrids and I'm not sure it would work correctly by attaching an Arduino board to my laptop, with accelerometers, gyros and everything.

[DKryd]

there was a lot of discussion about an intel realsense/google project tango device back mid-year at google i/o conference. i have seen demos of the device and supposedly it was to be released in fall of this year. at some point that device is supposed to be released, i read recently quater 1 of 2016. there will have to be an android sdk for that device so all i can say is , sometime soon