Make Your Robot Follow You

Question

hey, I am building a robot for the world makerfaire @ NY. and I cameup with tht idea of making my robot follow me, but i dont really know how to make it. Does anyone knows?

Niek · Answer

With the EZ-B and ARC it's really easy. Just hook up a camera to your robot, configure it in ARC for motion tracking and you're done

Diego · Answer

O thanks, can you also make you robot follow your steps with the motion tracking?

thetechguru · Answer

The best way would be to have it follow something that specifically identifies you so it doesn't just follow anyone around. Glyph tracking or Harr tracking if you want to create a custom Harr. Xml file of something you uniquely wear or carry would work. Color tracking would also work. I have been planning on having mine follow an infrared led strapped to my ankle, although I wish we could track a specific blink pattern, again so it doesn't chase anyone using an ir remote. Alan

Bravia · Answer

@thetechguru The ir beacon does that as it only responds to its own transmitter

Diego · Answer

Or I can put a band with a specific pater of colors in my leg so it doesn't follow anything else.

DJ Sures · Answer

Diego, i'd go with the colors. Keep in mind that the tracking with be affected by brightness and strange lights. The lights at conference centers are usually a mesh of colors. And the brightness of each bulb is so high that it's an overwhelming number of photons for the camera CCD. I find a single polarization filter helps. Just a piece of polarized sheet cut and glued over the camera lens. The other thing to consider is the brightness of the sun if the robot is outside. As the robot faces the sun, your body will cast a shadow - making it impossible for the camera to see colors. It will only see a large shadow in front of you. In both of these cases, when the robot stops following you... I suggest carrying a WiiMote control in your pocket. That way you can slide your hand in your pocket and override the tracking. Plus, you can assign a few buttons on the WIiMote to adjust tracking values. So you can adjust it in realtime.

Diego · Answer

thank you, I think the wii remote will a great idea. Because it will be very hard to fix the problem of the camera. If not I had an idea of having a gps or something that the robot can track in my pocket and the robot can follow that.

Diego · Answer

Does anyone knows how to make it?

DJ Sures · Answer

how to make what?

Diego · Answer

Make your robot follow a gps or any other tracking device

DJ Sures · Answer

Sorry, I thought we answered your question. What else would you like to know?

Diego · Answer

No nothing I just figured it out.

DJ Sures · Answer

Excellent! Also, every control has a ? button next to the X. Be sure to press that button to read a brief detail on how to use that control. For more information, nearly every control has a video associated with it. The Tutorial section has lots of information

Diego · Answer

thanks, I really appreciate all your help. And I will try to post a video when I am done

DJ Sures · Answer

Awesome! I'm looking forward to it .. I dig when people post videos of their robots - it's my favorite part of the day!

justkelly · Answer

OK, when I do the maker faire thing, I'm usually wearing a labcoat with a bunch of patches on it. I could have it track one of them, then? Would that be a good target? Something loser down on the coat and on the back, I'm thinking?

DJ Sures · Answer

Yeah - any tracking type can be used to control a movement panel . The Robot Program tells you more about object tracking. have fun!

JustinRatliff · Answer

Maybe you could make a Glyph for your coat. The Robot Program 047 - Using Glyphs

Diego

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