Analysis of XBOX Kinect sensor data for use on construction sites: Depth accuracy and sensor interference assessment

Sensing and site data acquisition are active areas of research for the construction engineering and management domain. A number of research initiatives around the globe are focused on novel sensing applications for managing site safety, productivity improvements, progress monitoring, site layout planning, and for innovative approaches to supply chain management. Time of Flight cameras and laser scanners are the tools of choice for real time and near real time decision making on jobsites. However, most of these applications are limited to academic research and limited field trials have been carried out. A number of operational decisions are necessary before sensing equipment can be deployed. These decisions are challenging for companies and researchers alike as there is limited test data available regarding the performance characteristics for the various equipment options. This paper reports on the performance of Xbox Kinect Sensors for spatial modeling on construction sites. Designed experiments were conducted to characterize the accuracy and resolution of Xbox Kinect sensors as well as the interference between multiple Xbox Kinect sensors. The experiments provided quantitative knowledge about the performance of XBOX Kinect sensors in terms of spatial modeling, therefore establishing a baseline for Kinect performance expectations in similar modeling applications.