Android is awesome, and so is OpenCV, so wouldn't it be awesomer if they could work together? Well they can, and its now officially supported in opencv trunk.
= quick ubuntu opencv static libs build =
* install swig {{{sudo apt-get install swig}}}
* unzip the crystax ndk r4 to your home directory http://www.crystax.net/android/ndk-r4.php
* svn up your opencv - from https://code.ros.org/svn/opencv/trunk/opencv
{{{
cd opencv/android
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
}}}
= Prerequisites =
* swig 1.3 - stable version in your package manager or from cygwin or from http://swig.org/
* crystax ndk r4 - http://www.crystax.net/android/ndk-r4.php - unzip/untar to your home directory for easy cmake locating
Please read the very well documented android sdk getting started instructions - http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html and at least build and install a hello world app on your Android phone.
== Android SDK tips ==
I always add the android sdk tools directory to my path so i can run the adb from any where.
On ubuntu, add the following to your {{{~/.bashrc}}}
{{{
export PATH=~/android-sdk-linux_x86/tools:$PATH
}}}
Install ant so that you can build from command line.
Make sure your udev permissions are set for usb debug and that the phone itself is set to allow debugging
see the following blog post on why http://alan.lamielle.net/2010/01/22/nexus-one-usb-in-ubuntu-9-10
= How and What =
The android port involves high jacking the existing cmake build files and replacing the define_opencv_module with android specific build commands.
In particular the cmake based build creates android ndk build files and calls the android ndk to build opencv.
== OpenCV static libs ==
The main cmake build of opencv generates a static lib for each module and some of the 3rdparty libraries. These can then be linked against in your own android projects.
the cmake build will also generate an android-opencv.mk file in the build folder. Include this file in your Android.mk files to link against the static libs.
this would go in your Android.mk file. See the docs in the ndk for an explanation of LOCAL_LDLIBS and LOCAL_C_INCLUDES.
{{{
#define OPENCV_INCLUDES and OPENCV_LIBS
include $(PATH_TO_OPENCV_ANDROID_BUILD)/android-opencv.mk
LOCAL_LDLIBS += $(OPENCV_LIBS)
LOCAL_C_INCLUDES += $(OPENCV_INCLUDES)
}}}
== OpenCV shared library ==
There is an attempt at a library that is more generally useful for android that could also be linked against in your on projects. This project is under
opencv/android/android-jni
This uses swig to expose some functions to java. Also it implements a live camera preview interface, so that you can have access to the Android camera for live vision apps.
== Apps ==
A few sample apps that use the library are under opencv/android/apps
* CVCamera is a complete example that uses the opencv static libs and the android-jni project
* Calibration is a stand alone camera calibration app for your Android that is pure java and links against the android-jni project - use this app to make a camera.yml calibration file in your sdcard's home directory
* more to come ...
= steps =
=== Static libs ===
{{{
cd opencv/android
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
}}}
this may take a while
=== android-jni ===
After the static libs are built, run make in the android-jni folder
{{{
cd opencv/android/android-jni
make
}}}
That creates the swig wrappers and compiles the shared library.
now run the ant based java build
{{{
sh ./project_create.sh
ant debug
}}}
Now you're ready to use it in a sample
=== CVCamera ===
{{{
cd opencv/android/apps/CVCamera
sh build.sh
}}}
That builds the swig wrappers and shared library.
Build the android apk ( the thing that gets installed on the phone )
{{{
sh project_create.sh
ant debug
}}}
Now if everything worked, try to install it. Connect your device and run the following
{{{
ant install
}}}
Run it, press menu to see options - right now it can draw fast, star, and surf feature points on the live preview image.
=== Calibration ===
{{{
sh project_create.sh
ant debug
ant install
}}}
To run the app, make sure that the sdcard is not mounted on your computer and point the phone at a calibration pattern and snap away. When you have taken enough chessboards to satisfy yourself
press the save button to have the camera calibarted. The calibration will be saved to /sdcard/opencv/calibration.yml
Also see this app for how to make a slightly nicer camera ui than CVCamera.
=== Troubles ===
try to edit the local.env.mk file's that get created in CVCamera and android-jni to reflect your system.
Also using cmake-gui or ccmake are good options to set up where your ndk directory are.
Send questions/comments to Ethan Rublee ethan.rublee@gmail.com
= Programming your own apps =
Try to look at the samples - like CVCamera, for how to do this. A tutorial may be forth coming.
