Xamarin.Forms - Emotion Recognition Using Cognitive Service

In this blog post,  you will learn how to Recognise emotions in images using Cognitive Service in Xamarin forms. 

Introduction

Xamarin.Forms code runs on multiple platforms - each of which has its own filesystem. This means that reading and writing files is most easily done using the native file APIs on each platform. Alternatively, embedded resources are a simpler solution to distribute data files with an app.

Cognitive Services

Infuse your apps, websites, and bots with intelligent algorithms to see, hear, speak, understand and interpret your user needs through natural methods of communication. Transform your business with AI today.

Use AI to solve business problems

• Vision
• Speech
• Knowledge
• Search
• Language

Emotion API

1. Emotion API takes a facial expression in an image as an input and returns the confidence across a set of emotions for each face in the image, as well as bounding box for the face, using the Face API. If a user has already called the Face API, they can submit the face rectangle as an optional input.
2. Emotion API is emotions detected are anger, contempt, disgust, fear, happiness, neutral, sadness and surprise. These emotions are understood to be cross-culturally and universally communicated with particular facial expressions.

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio 2017(Windows or Mac)
• Emotion API Key

Setting up a Xamarin.Forms Project

Start by creating a new Xamarin.Forms project.  you’ll learn more by going through the steps yourself.
Choose the Xamarin.Forms App Project type under Cross-platform/App in the New Project dialog.

Name your app, select “Use .NET Standard” for shared code, and target both Android and iOS.

You probably want your project and solution to use the same name as your app. Put it in your preferred folder for projects and click Create.

You now have a basic Xamarin.Forms app. Click the play button to try it out.

Get Emotion API Key

In this step, get Emotion API Key. Go to the following link.

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/services/cognitive-services/

Click "Try Cognitive Services for free".

Now, you can choose Face under Vision APIs. Afterward, click "Get API Key".

Read the terms, and select your country/region. Afterward, click "Next".

Now, log in using your preferred account.

Now, the API Key is activated. You can use it now.

The trial key is available only 7 days. If you want a permanent key, refer to the following article.

Getting Started With Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services Face APIs


Setting up the User Interface

Go to MainPage.Xaml and write the following code.

MainPage.xaml

Click the play button to try it out.

NuGet Packages

Now, add the following NuGet Packages.

1. Xam.Plugin.Media
2. Newtonsoft.Json

Add Xam.Plugin.Media NuGet

In this step, add Xam.Plugin.Media to your project. You can install Xam.Plugin.Media via NuGet, or you can browse the source code on GitHub.

Go to Solution Explorer and select your solution. Right-click and select "Manage NuGet Packages for Solution". Search "Xam.Plugin.Media" and add Package. Remember to install it for each project (PCL, Android, iO, and UWP).

Permissions

In this step give the following required permissions to your app:

Permissions - for Android

1. CAMERA
2. READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
3. WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

Permissions - for iOS

1. NSCameraUsageDescription
2. NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription
3. NSMicrophoneUsageDescription
4. NSPhotoLibraryAddUsageDescription

Create a Model

In this step, you can create a model for Deserialize your response.

ResponseModel.cs

Emotion Recognition

In this step, write the following code for Emotion Recognition.

MainPage.xaml.cs

Click the play button to try it out.

Happy Coding...!😊

I hope you have understood how to Recognise emotions in images using Cognitive Service in Xamarin.Forms.

Thanks for reading. Please share comments and feedback.

Xamarin.Forms - Face Detection Using Cognitive Service

In this blog post,  you will learn how to detect human faces using Cognitive Service in Xamarin forms. 

Introduction


Xamarin.Forms code runs on multiple platforms - each of which has its own filesystem. This means that reading and writing files is most easily done using the native file APIs on each platform. Alternatively, embedded resources are a simpler solution to distribute data files with an app.


Cognitive Services

Infuse your apps, websites, and bots with intelligent algorithms to see, hear, speak, understand and interpret your user needs through natural methods of communication. Transform your business with AI today.

Use AI to solve business problems

• Vision
• Speech
• Knowledge
• Search
• Language

Face API

1. Face API provides developers with access to advanced face algorithms. Microsoft Face algorithms enable face attribute detection and face recognition. 
2. Face API is a cognitive service that provides algorithms for detecting, recognizing, and analyzing human faces in images. 
3. Face API can detect human faces in an image and return the rectangle coordinates of their locations. Optionally, face detection can extract a series of face-related attributes such as pose, gender, age, head pose, facial hair, and glasses.

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio 2017(Windows or Mac)
• Face API Key

Setting up a Xamarin.Forms Project

Start by creating a new Xamarin.Forms project.  you’ll learn more by going through the steps yourself.
Choose the Xamarin.Forms App Project type under Cross-platform/App in the New Project dialog.

Name your app, select “Use .NET Standard” for shared code, and target both Android and iOS.

You probably want your project and solution to use the same name as your app. Put it in your preferred folder for projects and click Create.

You now have a basic Xamarin.Forms app. Click the play button to try it out.

Get Face API Key

In this step, get Face API Key. Go to the following link.

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/services/cognitive-services/

Click "Try Cognitive Services for free".

Now, you can choose Face under Vision APIs. Afterward, click "Get API Key".

Read the terms, and select your country/region. Afterward, click "Next".

Now, log in using your preferred account.

Now, the API Key is activated. You can use it now.

The trial key is available only for 7 days. If you want a permanent key, refer to the following article.

Getting Started With Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services Face APIs


Setting up the User Interface

Go to MainPage.Xaml and write the following code.

MainPage.xaml

Click the play button to try it out.

NuGet Packages

Now, add the following NuGet Packages.

Xam.Plugin.Media
Newtonsoft.Json

Add Xam.Plugin.Media NuGet

In this step, add Xam.Plugin.Media to your project. You can install Xam.Plugin.Media via NuGet, or you can browse the source code on GitHub.

Go to Solution Explorer and select your solution. Right-click and select "Manage NuGet Packages for Solution". Search "Xam.Plugin.Media" and add Package. Remember to install it for each project (PCL, Android, iO, and UWP).

Permissions

In this step give the following required permissions to your app:

Permissions - for Android

1. CAMERA
2. READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
3. WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

Permissions - for iOS

1. NSCameraUsageDescription
2. NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription
3. NSMicrophoneUsageDescription
4. NSPhotoLibraryAddUsageDescription

Create a Model

In this step, you can create a model for Deserialize your response.

ResponseModel.cs

Face Detection

In this step, write the following code for face detection.

MainPage.xaml.cs

Click the play button to try it out.

Happy Coding...!😍


I hope you have understood how to detect human faces using Cognitive Service in Xamarin.Forms.

Thanks for reading. Please share comments and feedback.

Xamarin.Forms - Send Email using AWS SES(Simple Email Service)

In this blog post,  you will learn how to send background Email using AWS(Amazon Web Services) SES(Simple Email Service) in Xamarin forms. 

Introduction

Xamarin.Forms code runs on multiple platforms - each of which has its own filesystem. This means that reading and writing files is most easily done using the native file APIs on each platform. Alternatively, embedded resources are a simpler solution to distribute data files with an app.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)

Use SMTP to send and receive mail messages. SMTP provides a set of protocols that simplifies the communication of email messages between email servers. It is an Internet standard for electronic mail (email) transmission. SMTP is a part of the application layer of the TCP/IP protocol. The default TCP port used by SMTP is 25 and the SMTP connections secured by SSL, known as SMTPS, uses the default to port 465. Most SMTP server names are written in the form "smtp.domain.com" or "mail.domain.com": for example, a Gmail account will refer to smtp.gmail.com the Gmail port number is 587.

AWS SES(Simple Email Service)

Amazon Simple Email Service (Amazon SES) is a cloud-based email sending service designed to help digital marketers and application developers send transactional emails. It is an Internet standard for electronic mail (email) transmission. uses the default to port 25, 465 or 587. You can use our SMTP interface or one of the AWS SDKs to integrate Amazon SES directly into your existing applications. SES is available Transport Layer Security (TLS).

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio 2017(Windows or Mac)
• AWS(Amazon Web Services) Account

Setting up a Xamarin.Forms Project

Start by creating a new Xamarin.Forms project.  you’ll learn more by going through the steps yourself.
Choose the Xamarin.Forms App Project type under Cross-platform/App in the New Project dialog.

Name your app, select “Use Shared Library” for shared code, and target both Android and iOS.

You probably want your project and solution to use the same name as your app. Put it in your preferred folder for projects and click Create.

You now have a basic Xamarin.Forms app. Click the play button to try it out.

Create a SES Service in AWS

In this step, create an service in the AWS. Go to the following link. Now, sign in using your preferred account.

https://console.aws.amazon.com/console/home

After sign in, you can create a SES(Simple Email Service) service in AWS console.

Create SMTP Credentials

In this step, you can create a SMTP Credential under SMTP Settings.

Now, you will get the IAM User Name, subsequently click Create.

Now, the SMTP credential created successfully.you can download and use it.

Verify your Email Address

In this step, Verify your Email Address, under Email Addresses menu.

Setting up the User Interface

Go to MainPage.Xaml and write the following code.

MainPage.xaml

Click the play button to try it out.

Troubleshooting

Allow less secure apps

Go to following link you must enable Less secure app access

https://myaccount.google.com/lesssecureapps

You can turn on Less secure app access.

Server Name   : email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
Host                  :    email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
Port                  : 25, 465 or 587
Use Transport Layer Security (TLS)  : Yes

Send Mail

In this step, write the following code for send email.

MainPage.xaml.cs

Click the play button to try it out.

Check your inbox

I hope you have understood how to send background Email using AWS SES(Simple Email Service) in Xamarin.Forms.

Thanks for reading. Please share comments and feedback.

Xamarin.Forms - Send Email using SMTP

In this blog post,  you will learn how to send background Email with SMTP in Xamarin forms.

Introduction

Xamarin.Forms code runs on multiple platforms - each of which has its own filesystem. This means that reading and writing files is most easily done using the native file APIs on each platform. Alternatively, embedded resources are a simpler solution to distribute data files with an app.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)

Use SMTP to send and receive mail messages. SMTP provides a set of protocol that simplify the communication of email messages between email servers.It is an Internet standard for electronic mail (email) transmission. SMTP is a part of the application layer of the TCP/IP protocol. The default TCP port used by SMTP is 25 and the SMTP connections secured by SSL, known as SMTPS, uses the default to port 465.Most SMTP server names are written in the form "smtp.domain.com" or "mail.domain.com": for example, a Gmail account will refer to smtp.gmail.com the gmail port number is 587.

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio 2017(Windows or Mac)

Setting up a Xamarin.Forms Project

Start by creating a new Xamarin.Forms project.  you’ll learn more by going through the steps yourself.
Choose the Xamarin.Forms App Project type under Cross-platform/App in the New Project dialog.

Name your app, select “Use Shared Library” for shared code, and target both Android and iOS.

You probably want your project and solution to use the same name as your app. Put it in your preferred folder for projects and click Create.

You now have a basic Xamarin.Forms app. Click the play button to try it out.

Setting up the User Interface

Go to MainPage.Xaml and write the following code.

MainPage.xaml

Click the play button to try it out.

Troubleshooting

Allow less secure apps

Go to following link you must enable Less secure app access

https://myaccount.google.com/lesssecureapps

Now, You can turn on Less secure app access.

Host   : smtp.gmail.com

Port   : 587

Send Mail

In this step, write the following code for send email.

MainPage.xaml.cs

Click the play button to try it out.

Check your inbox

I hope you have understood how to send background Email with SMTP in Xamarin.Forms.

Thanks for reading. Please share comments and feedback.