# How can I create height map using depth data in millimeters?

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-create-height-map-using-depth-data-in-millimeters/1231302>\
**Category:** Asset Creation\
**Tags:** kinect, custom-depth, unreal-engine, heightmap, question\
**Created:** [July 17, 2023, 7:18am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-create-height-map-using-depth-data-in-millimeters/1231302 "2023-07-17T07:18:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gazza177](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Gazza177](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Gazza177)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 7:18am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-create-height-map-using-depth-data-in-millimeters/1231302/1 "2023-07-17T07:18:11Z")

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I am using the Neo Kinect plugin to get the raw depth data from my Kinect v2. I am processing this in a material asset to get the depth in millimeters but I am unsure where to go from here. I want to create a height map from this data that I will use to carve into a 3D Volume Texture to produce an interactive visualisation for use in a physical sandbox.

I have not worked with height maps before so am a bit lost on which direction to head in. I’d appreciate any guidance.

Here is where I am at within the material asset.  
 ![image](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/1/8/c/18ce5f7b3a22943f032e329dde1fb74ef1635eda.png)

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**Author:** ![Gazza177](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Gazza177](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Gazza177)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:55am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-create-height-map-using-depth-data-in-millimeters/1231302/2 "2023-07-19T02:55:08Z")

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Update:

Perhaps I am going about this wrong. What I am ultimately trying to do is use these depth values to select a pixel of a volume texture like this where each layer of the texture is a different image. I then want to display this on my HUD, is it possible to achieve all of this within the material instead of trying to create a height map.

 ![image](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/0/6/0/060186f74b696d9fe81c6606f56745c55810b7b0.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![L1z4rD89](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/l1z4rd89/32/1194537_2.png) [@L1z4rD89](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/L1z4rD89)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 4:08pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-create-height-map-using-depth-data-in-millimeters/1231302/3 "2023-07-19T16:08:00Z")

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Hey @Gazza177

So, you want to:

- Display the image of europe onto the sand
- Display different parts of the different layers depending on your height data
- Display the “carved” image back onto the sand via a projector?  
And for that you want a 3D counterpart to view the changes?

Here is one example where you can see the carved images from europe and one 3D model made from the height data with POM:

[UE52\_CreateHeight.zip](https://forums.unrealengine.com/uploads/short-url/sx7eQr8Uw1JenBFrKFf4bWGFcX5.zip) (19.6 MB)

Another idea would be using a procedural mesh and offset the vertices with your heigt data.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gazza177](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Gazza177](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Gazza177)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 4:15am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-create-height-map-using-depth-data-in-millimeters/1231302/4 "2023-07-25T04:15:50Z")

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Thanks this is very helpful

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**Author:** ![system](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/7/1/3/713c9d3f58553f0de89543d76a8a3a2779dc9fa4.png) [@system](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 4:16am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-can-i-create-height-map-using-depth-data-in-millimeters/1231302/5 "2023-08-24T04:16:50Z")

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