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Barcode Scanning
Jarrod1937
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Hello, I'm happy to get a Wave 2 invitation. My initial plan for the Hololens is a warehouse fulfillment system for orders. One very important piece of information is missing, how can I scan barcodes with the Hololens?
It would be quite convenient if there is a standard barcode scanning API via a camera that I assume is available via the Hololens. If this is not going to be available, can I assume a camera output will be available? If so, my thought is to grab odd numbered frames and pass the image data to an external barcode reading SDK. I've already programmed a system in use now (locally hosted API with WinCE mobile computers), and most of the logic should be able to be carried over, but the barcode interfacing part is a bit of a mystery.
Does anyone have any information on this?
Answers
Hi,
I'm giving an initial fast read to the Windows.Graphics.Holographic API that is completly new as well as to the Windows.Perception and Windows.UI.Input.Spatial ans it seems that there isn't anything that can help you.
Extending the search to the W10 api there is the BarcodeScanner type into the Windows.Devices.PointOfService API but this requires some capabilities that of course HL is missing.
What you can do is to access the Mixed reality capture feature by creating the correct ui, taking a screen shoot of the barcode and send it to a custom made rest (azure) service, that could implement the logic you have already developed, and then get back the result.
You could also bypass the service and implement the logic in process.. but imho a soa (secured) architecture is more appropriate.
Hope the this helps
best
-g
Thanks, that gives me a good start at least. I should be able to put something together.
To give an update on my research. I believe I can achieve pretty good results using ZXing combined with OpenCV for any perspective correction. I've used OpenCV in the past, but on a full blown PC, the trick will be optimizing for speed in this application.
@Jarrod1937 - if it works on mobile devices (which is pretty common), then you should be able to get it running on a Hololens.
You should be able to get it done from a programming standpoint on the Hololens. The difficulty is going to be getting the raw data from the Hololens. I'm not sure what, if any, raw data from the device we will have access to and without that- there really isn't a way to do read a barcode.
The more I think about it the ability to read barcodes or (even better) QR codes would be so useful for a wide variety of Hololens applications.
Sounds like you may possibly need to have some type of connectivity to an IF scanner, then can bar code the aisles and each slot, so as to "anchor" the location. Same thing done with rf guns/scanners/pd's used in warehouse/flow center environments now.
Could we use the Kinect, as opposed to infrared?
I'm waiting until Wave 3...but will absolutely look to develop supply chain / logistics app with HL. Posted in Hanoi, running SCDC for Devices Group. Great place for a live lab. We can collaborate...
Thoughts?
I would recommend looking into the Vuforia AR engine do handle the bar code reader on HL.
Vuforia may be a great option. Vuforia recently announced that they will support Windows 10 devices but didn't mention Hololens specifically. Currently the Windows 10 support isn't out although you can apply to be an enterprise partner to get early access. My company has attempted this with Vuforia with other Beta programs in the past and this hasn't exactly been a good process for us.
Having Vuforia's tracking capabilies working concurrently with the Hololens would really be a great combination. Like most of the developments in this area, it seems like we have to wait for it.
Ah good, Vuforia because of it's design for AR looks like it'll be a good solution. I agree with others though. Although I'm sure the Microsoft team has a lot on their plate, I would have loved to see barcode reading as part of the holographic API (considering the perspective distortions and movement). Although I did not see 1D barcodes mentioned. While QR codes are nice, I need 1D support as well.
By the way, who marks questions as 'answered' here? Just curious, technically this topic has received 'answers', but isn't exactly 'answered,' an important distinction.
Vuforia for HL has been announced. Anyone on the Beta tried doing this yet? Or done the OpenCV thing (in Unity)?
I believe the person who asked the question can mark something as answered and probably moderators... @DaveA, there are some other threads that reference OpenCV when I was asking about image recognition...there's an integration in the Asset Store...haven't had a chance to try myself yet.
After having learned more, I'm going to try an already made barcode asset for Windows Phone, which should work as it is Win RT based. If not, I'll be wrapping a premade barcode solution into a Unity plugin myself. I really don't see a need to do OpenCV though, as the spatial mapping data should already provide all of the information needed to do a perspective correction on any grabbed frames from barcode reading... theoretically. Right now I'm working on a Win CE project (yay!
) that I need to finish before taking a crack at this.
Not to be one of those people, but an already made custom tailored barcode reading solution for the Hololens would be very nice. I'm sure I can hack something together that'll function well enough, but a more low level, Hololens specific implementation would probably be better.
Unity Asset Store has seven barcodes app one free and Easy Barcodes contains all code for all devices
There is a free app but has a .dll for unity 4 , which could be hard conversions to for HoloLens