z Vision (archived Winter 2013)

The vision system tracks the robot's state (position, orientation, velocity) while it maintains real time wireless communication with the robot. The system consists of a camera (or group of cameras) aimed at the wall, a desktop computer, and an XBee radio module.

Project Specs

• 30 Hz communication rate between PC & PIC (assuming 38400 baud, then >= 160 bytes can be sent each period; this is more than enough for eight sensors)
• Camera frame rate > 90 fps; we would like the camera to do some internal computations, like path planning, so on a typical swing 64 points can be captured at a 1.4 Hz switching rate.
• Camera should be able to detect objects < 6 mm resolution.
• Camera should never lose the object under normal operating conditions and variable lighting conditions.

End of winter goal

Reliably track the robot's state and communicate that info wirelessly from the vision system to the robot.

Weekly Goals

3/7/2013

• Set up the a 6 by 8 environment complete with active lighting.
• Set up active lighting on the accryl-o-bot.

3/14/2013

• Track the accryl-o-bots positioning (velocity?) and be able to differentiate each of our 3 points of interest.
• Measure our frame rate and error.

3/21/2013

• Transmit the tracking data wirelessly using the XBee.

People

• Jimmy Paul
• Neal Ehardt