Home of the wacky and crazy projects
sirBones
Installing OpenCV with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 C++
145OpenCV stands for Open Computer Vision Library.
OpenCV is an open source library for computer vision development. There are some very interesting sample applications included with this library.
This sounds like the perfect start for Sir Bones.
Before we can start we need to be able to build the library.
Requirements
Optional
We are going to be using Microsoft Visual Studio for this install.
The reasons for this include Support from OpenCV, Lots of Internet Articles for creating software, MSDN, Offical Software and its FREE.
Step 1 – Installing Visual C++ and Platform SDK
Visit http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/visualc/usingpsdk/ and follow Microsofts Guide to setup Visual C++ and the Platform SDK.
When you get to Step 3, add this line to "Include Files" (assume default install location)
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK for Windows Server 2003 R2\Include\mfc
This is because OpenCV requires some files that are inside that folder.
Step 2 – Update Visual C++ with Service Pack 1 (Optional)
Service Packs for the each of the Visual Studio products are available on one page from Microsoft.
Visual Studio 2005 Express SP1
The specific update that you will require is called "C++ 2005 Express Edition SP1 – VS80sp1-KB926748-X86-INTL.exe"
Step 3 – Install OpenCV
Go get OpenCV Library and download OpenCV 1.0 for Windows
Installation is straight forward.
Step 4 – Customising Visual C++ for use with OpenCV
We need to setup the directories for Open Visual C++
- Open Visual C++
- Choose menu "Tools" and select "Options"
- In "Projects and Solutions" and go to "VC++ Directories"
- Show directories for "Library Files"
- Add "C:\Program Files\OpenCV\lib" to the list of directories
Step 5 – Open "OpenCV Workspace .NET 2005"
In the start menu a folder called "Open CV" was created when you installed OpenCV.
Inside the folder "OpenCV" there is a shortcut called "OpenCV Workspace .NET 2005"
Open "OpenCV Workspace .NET 2005"
This will load OpenCV solution within Visual C++
There is one last thing you need to do, to be able to compile OpenCV.
- Choose menu "Build" and Select "Configuration Manager"
- Change "Active solution configuration" to either "Debug" or "Release"
Step 6 – Build
Now that everything is installed and setup; building OpenCV should be a breeze.
- Choose menu "Build" and Select "Build Solution"
Building OpenCV can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.
When I built OpenCV it took about 10 minutes.< /p>
Congratulations OpenCV is now installed and built.
Featuring Sir Bones
99I have been looking everywhere for some realistic ears for Sir Bones. The idea of the ears is to channel forward sound in to the microphone; just like in the human body.
Trying to find realist ears is actually quite hard. Most of the ears available are novelty ears, over-sized and not very realistic.
I even went into a fancy dress shop to ask if they knew where I could get some, with no luck.
Recently I was shopping in Tesco's and I noticed this scary Halloween mask. The ears were almost perfect size for Sir Bones, so I could not resist buying this face mask.
The beginning
215I have been trying for a long time to understand computer vision, and trying to make a program that could pick out useful information from web cameras.
It was a standard set-up of 2 cameras and slight angles to each other, pointing forwards.
The trouble was they were free to move around. What was needed, was something to hold the cameras in a fix position.
The hunt for a human skull was on!
Sir Bones gets a (meek) voice
135Sir Bones has had a quiet life, constantly listening and not being able to say a word.
Today will change all that.
Sir Bones gets a voice (module).
All that is really needed is a speaker attached to a 3.5mm jack, but I prefer to have Sir Bones portable, so we'll be using a USB Sound card aka USB Voip Handset.
Give him a voice
94With the ability to hear and to see, Sir Bones is progressing very well.
Sir Bones needs to be able to communicate with the world around him.
What Sir Bones needs is a voice.
I have a voip handset, which is basically a USB sound card, which has a standard 3.5mm audio jack.
What I need now is to find a good enough speaker to fit inside Sir Bones, which is also loud enough to be heard.
We don't want him sounding weak now 
Waste not, Want not
137After all the modification to Sir Bones's skull, he is starting to be a little too top heavy for the base.
What was needed would be some extra weight.
The Logitech microphones came with quite a heavy base and they will save having throw them out.
There should be enough combined weight to keep Sir Bones upright.
SirBones will get hearing
2022 Logitech USB Desktop Microphones have been bought to function as hearing for SirBones.
There are now 4 USB devices in SirBones, and there will be a 5th later on.
As a result a USB hub has been purchased with 7 USB Ports.
Hopefully that should keep Sir Bones going for a while.
Sir Bones
155For some strange reason I've always wanted to try put two cameras into a skull. It wasn't until I was on vaction in Eastbourne with my girlfriend Sarah, that I saw the perfect skull for the project.
As luck would have it a magazine came out called "Funny Bones", that was available weekly. The first issue had the bottom part of the skull.
Meet Sarah and Sir Bones