Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Robot Vision — Parallax Forums

Robot Vision

Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
edited 2007-02-02 13:34 in Robotics
How exactly do i hook a camera up to a robot? Im thinking of hooking a small black and white camera to my Basic Stamp but im unsure of how to do this, Do i need special chips or programs?

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2007-02-01 02:32
    Realistically, you can't hook up a conventional camera to a Stamp. A standard video camera puts out its information in a form (analog, NTSC video specifically) that the Stamp can't handle. In addition, even if you had interface circuitry, the amount of information and its speed of change is much too much for the capabilities of a Stamp. There are several devices on the market (the CMUcam is the best known) that use a CCD image sensor (like what's used in current video cameras), but with lower resolution (pixels) to get the data rate down to something that can be handled by a fast microcontroller. This does some processing of the video information (including the ability to track an object - like a shirt or large ball of a particular color) and can pass the information to a Stamp.

    The BOE-BOT CMUcam is a version of this packaged for use with a Stamp (and the BOE-BOT). You can find links to the manuals here: www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=30051
  • latigerlillylatigerlilly Posts: 114
    edited 2007-02-01 03:55
    If you do it, you'll have to do it 1960's NASA style. Take a pic with a digital camera, then take f-o-r-e-v-e-r to process the information and then act on that information. I could be mistaken, but I think that it took ancient computers 9 hours to process and return digital photos back to earth from the moon. The much lower resolution CMU cam is probably your best bet, though. Higher res pics are possible, but will take a l-o-n-g time due to the simplicity of the stamp 2.
  • PARPAR Posts: 285
    edited 2007-02-01 09:52
    Monkey4sale said...
    How exactly do i hook a camera up to a robot? Im thinking of hooking a small black and white camera to my Basic Stamp but im unsure of how to do this, Do i need special chips or programs?
    It depends on what you want the Basic Stamp to do for you. E.g., do you want it to turn on the camera when the light in the room is turned on, or off when the sun sets, or do you want the Stamp to sense motion nearby in front of the camera and turn on the camera to operate while the motion continues?

    Do you want your robot to transport your camera around while you remote operate the camera with its own remote control?

    Or, do you want to do realtime image processing to interpret what is going on in the scene?

    The first propositions may be do-able. The last one, as others suggested, needs a solution that includes other capabilities than only those of a Stamp.

    Define your goal(s) more fully.

    PAR
  • Joe "Bot" RedJoe "Bot" Red Posts: 81
    edited 2007-02-01 18:15
    Hey fellas... I saw this camera on another post... interesting, it is made by a french company:
    http://www.pob-technology.com/pob/crbst_4.html

    Spend some time going through the videos...

    Here is the canadian distributor:
    http://www.robotshop.ca/home/products/robot-parts/sensors/cameras-vision-sensors/pob-technology-pob-eye.html

    Not a cheap product... but I am sure we can have fun with it... smile.gif
  • Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
    edited 2007-02-01 21:19
    Well is there anywhere i can get cheap robot camera? Im on a pretty tight budget and i sortof want real time amage processing. Also is there a way to broadcast the images onto a tv or computer?

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.

    Post Edited (Monkey4sale) : 2/1/2007 11:01:04 PM GMT
  • jsmasterkingjsmasterking Posts: 35
    edited 2007-02-01 21:29
    Why do you need a camera?

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    ·on····· plane··········································, when catching ducks

    "In this house, we obey the laws of thermodynamics!"
    ··············································································^
    http://profiles.yahoo.com/jsmasterking
  • Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
    edited 2007-02-02 00:46
    for sight? lol, i just want to figure out how i can use one, the only use i want to do is a bit complicated and involves voice recognition and synthesizers

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.
  • azmax100azmax100 Posts: 173
    edited 2007-02-02 04:27
    Hi all,

    My suggestion is using a close citcuit camera where people use it for monitoring. It can be use wit a 9 volt battery. You can drive the cccam with a relay.I have tried this then connect it wit a video sender so u can see where your bot heading trough your TV set. The quality is abit out but if you have enough financial go and get a good one. But· i haven't try to use a battery with the video sender. I think it is posible but you need large amperage battery.

    Only a suggestion hope can give u some idea.

    take care.
  • quispqixquispqix Posts: 64
    edited 2007-02-02 05:53
    I have a question? Is it possible to make a sonar picture like the doctors use for baby check using the PING))) Ultrasonic Sensor
    Range - (2cm to 3m (~.75" to 10') 3/4 of an inch to 10 feet). It might be possible (maybe) to make a rudimentry 'image' like the printout the very old computers We or I used back in the 70's at school with IIIII's representing nothing and a O representing something?

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Drink Milk!
    skype me: quispqix
    echolink: 184783 KC0LGV
  • latigerlillylatigerlilly Posts: 114
    edited 2007-02-02 06:51
    Yes, that is possible. Get a pan and tilt kit: www.servocity.com/html/spt200_pan___tilt_system.html for your PING and you're in business. Ping is actually better because you'll get "depth" and a 3D image.
  • latigerlillylatigerlilly Posts: 114
    edited 2007-02-02 06:52
    Or do like insects do and make a compound eye with a handful of photoresistors while focusing images on this compound eye with a set of lenses.
  • Steve JoblinSteve Joblin Posts: 784
    edited 2007-02-02 13:34
    quispqix: Yes... two projects come to mind...

    check out http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/resources/custapps/app_Boe-Dar.asp in the Customer Applications section of Parallax and also·http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=590115·in the StampsInClass Forum.

    Post Edited (Steve Joblin) : 2/2/2007 1:41:12 PM GMT
Sign In or Register to comment.