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Visual Detection — Parallax Forums

Visual Detection

AsobuAsobu Posts: 16
edited 2009-04-02 18:10 in Robotics
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on visual recognition of object by robots, like humans do. I'm building a robotic arm that senses an object, such as a screw, and puts it in a bin. Any help would be great. I'm not just sure where to start on this. Thanks!

Asobu

Comments

  • PARPAR Posts: 285
    edited 2007-02-13 23:07
    Asobu said...
    I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on visual recognition of object by robots, like humans do. I'm building a robotic arm that senses an object, such as a screw, and puts it in a bin. Any help would be great. I'm not just sure where to start on this. Thanks!

    Asobu
    The human eye (along with the human) can sort/put darn near anything.

    No robotic eye robot·has that capability.

    So, start by deciding what world of objects you want to sense / bin. Then, characterize those objects by where they are expected to be found, where they are expected to be put, their sizes, shapes, weights, and all other parameters that the various objects might involve in a sense/put activity.

    That might give you (and anyone you ask for help) an idea as to where to start in designing a robot to perform the task.

    E.g., big screw, little screw?· bin close to screw, bin far away from screw? bin with cover, bin without cover?· One screw a second, one screw a minute? Brass screws in this bin, plastic screws in that bin? Phillips head screws here, Torx head screws there? Etc.?

    PAR
  • AsobuAsobu Posts: 16
    edited 2007-02-17 07:02
    What would be a good site to start learning about a Visual Detection system?
  • LarryLarry Posts: 212
    edited 2007-02-17 09:25
    I just came across this the other day- I think it's a good intro to the general concepts

    www.societyofrobots.com/programming_computer_vision_tutorial.shtml

    Or were you looking for something more specific?

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  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2007-02-17 16:46
    If you don't mind learning some C and advanced math, then take a look at Intel's Open Computer Vision Library:

    www.intel.com/technology/computing/opencv/

    If you are familiar with C, you should be able to get the library running under your preferred system.

    If you have no C experience, but would like to begin learning C & OpenCV, then I suggest starting with Ch & Ch-OpenCV, which you can download from SoftIntegration.
  • AsobuAsobu Posts: 16
    edited 2007-02-17 18:39
    I have had Calc3, and differential equations and now I am taking Vector Spaces and Matrix Algebra, would that be enough math?· I'm really not being sarcasic or anything, just curious.· I took a class last semester with C programming so you guys have choosen some excellent stuff for me. Thanks a lot!!
  • Donald BurchDonald Burch Posts: 4
    edited 2007-03-05 10:31
    I am also interested (ultimately) in robot vision, but I know it'll lake a lot more processing than a BS2 can provide...

    Anyway, in searching the web to get ideas on what OS/software/hardware for my vision-capable bot I came across RoboRealm.com. They have a modular Windows PC-based software package which is excelent for trying out different filters etc. It can be used for guiding a robot, either on-board or remotely. Of if you prefer to compile your own embeded code RoboRealm is equally valuable for determining which combination of filters to use - without having to know the maths.

    At worst it's an excelent machine vision training tool. Do check it out !
  • PARPAR Posts: 285
    edited 2007-03-06 06:45
    Asobu said...
    I have had Calc3, and differential equations and now I am taking Vector Spaces and Matrix Algebra, would that be enough math?· I'm really not being sarcasic or anything, just curious.· I took a class last semester with C programming so you guys have choosen some excellent stuff for me. Thanks a lot!!
    If you're talking that (advanced) level of math, it will probably be enough to get going. But, deciding on what your robot is sensing and what it maybe should do as a result of interpreting the sensed data (real-life, variable data, with ambiguity and uncertainty, relative risk vs reward, etc.), you'll likely find that probability and statistics is also a useful area of math to know. (But, that level of math use (plus other disciplines) is more to address your original goal, visual recognition·"...like humans do". Much simpler models can get away with much less math depending on how you define your goals.)

    PAR
  • wurxwurx Posts: 10
    edited 2007-03-06 13:13
    I think you could start by getting your Phd from MIT is robotics. (perhaps in the haptic labs)

    OK, sarcasm aside, What degree of recog. do you really expect? Is it to identify a specific shape vs a library of shapes? Etc.

    Let's look at the "screw recognition" case:

    Is the screw loose in a bin of screws? If so, see "Phd" comment, and let me know when you accomplish that task, it would be worth millions. I would start with ultrasonic detection, then step it up to a CMUcam ... etc. What you are trying to accomplish is something people with multiple Phd's are trying to complete and have not achieved. This is not to say you can't. Someone will, maybe you, but you should really look into the history of vision systems, and learn about the problems people are trying to overcome.

    MIT's robotic lab is a great place to start (was there this summer).

    My best advice, "Baby Steps" start small, then go big.....experiment, look for an unconventional solution, innovate.

    Good Luck.
  • ultimateremedyultimateremedy Posts: 29
    edited 2009-02-17 10:42
    @Asobu

    any luck so far?

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    An hour's contemplation is better than a year's adoration.
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-02-17 11:01
    Never going to happen with the BS2, but the prop is showing promise. There's a fairly recent thread about "ViewPort" in the propeller forum.

    As a side note to moderators, why does the thread show posts today between posts from 2007?
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2009-02-17 16:00
    This thread is being moved from the BASIC Stamp Forum to the Robotics forum.

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Engineering
  • ultimateremedyultimateremedy Posts: 29
    edited 2009-02-18 06:27

    sorry but both sites are not working...

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    An hour's contemplation is better than a year's adoration.
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-02-18 07:09
    It works for me...
  • LilDiLilDi Posts: 229
    edited 2009-02-18 16:46
  • JonKoppJonKopp Posts: 12
    edited 2009-02-21 15:44
    I agree that the opencv is a great library. They covered most of the computer vision basics. Like previously stated, though, you will need some decent hardware to run it on. I've been looking at the gumstix motherboards for this. Seems to be the best/cheapest/smallest option available until they start selling the mobile ITX platforms. Even the nano ITX are a little on the power hungry side. One can always dream.
  • Luiz mauricio mionLuiz mauricio mion Posts: 77
    edited 2009-04-02 18:10
    smilewinkgrin.gif·smilewinkgrin.gif HIIII.....lol.gifroll.gifyeah.gifscool.gif

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