Need a "Follow Me" Solution for Outdoors

erco

Big robot to follow teacher in school setting, indoor & outdoor. Maybe some kind of multiplexed PING arrangement, belt/beacon on teacher pinging back & forth to 2-3 PING array on robot (2-3 feet wide) to triangulate. PhiPi had a neat IR/PING combo but IR won't work outdoors: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/120038-IR-augmented-Echo-location-with-the-Ping)))

Any thoughts using PINGs only?

Alternative is to trigger PING by radio/wireless to start timing cycle, but that's cheating.

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

What kind of range did you have in mind, erco?

-Phil

erco

Prolly 5-8 feet, thanks for asking!

I may have answered my own question with the radio idea. Maybe it's time to experiment with the Nordic modules or this cheapie 433 MHz pair I have on my desk: http://www.ebay.com/itm/RF-transmitter-and-receiver-link-kit-for-Arduino-ARM-MC-U-remote-control-hg-/281530665928?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item418c890bc8

GordonMcComb

What do the lower-cost automatic caddies use? I think it's sonar, but I also recall one where the golfer wears an active unit.

There's also vision, with something like a CMUCam.

kwinn

Camera on the robot to read a barcode held or worn by the teacher. Size of barcode used to maintain following distance.

erco

This Romanian fellow did a nice job on a Follow me bot using 2 ultrasonic sensors, see his May 22 entry & videos at http://www.pocketmagic.net/2013/02/android-controlled-robot-part-2/#.VLNO4Tw5BId

RobotWorkshop

You could also pickup an old Robbie Jr robot that Radio Shack sold and take out the ultrasonic sensors and electronics to adapt them for your project. They used a pair on the robot and it would follow the person carrying the remote. Seemed to work well.

erco

Thanks Robert, good call. I remember that Robie and considered it. But silly me loves to reinvent the wheel with the cheap Ebay parts I have on hand. I'm already assembling one to try with that $1 433 mhz transmitter and $1 U/S sensors.

http://www.theoldrobots.com/omnijr2.html

erco

I shouldn't feel bad asking for ideas here since Ben Heck had to bring in a consultant to do the same thing! He used an Xbee to trigger the Ping.

http://www.element14.com/community/docs/DOC-43658/l/episode-38-see-ben-build-an-autonomous-robot-luggage

NWCCTV

What kind of budget do you have? They make a "Follow Me" camera that might work. I will have to dig up a demo. Everything now points to drones that do this but I know there is a camera that will do it.

erco

Actually I do have a champagne budget for this one. Fortunately I still have beer tastes. As Kramer says, "that's some sweet action".

NWCCTV

Here's one. http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-960-000111-QuickCam-Orbit-AF/dp/B000UY1OMY

I have not seen this one in action. I have a link somewhere to one that I believe is from GeoVision. It has been about a year since I found it. I will try to dig it up and post as it is better than the Logitech.

Edit: Here's one in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY4DuMfWlI4

And one at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Tracking-Camera-700tvl-Security/dp/B00DPSBV1G