Autonomous Tracking Robot

1. Autonomous Tracking Robot Andy Duong Chris Gurley Nate Klein Wink Barnes Georgia Institute of Technology School of Electrical and Computer Engineering ECE4007, L04 March 12th, 2009

2. Project Overview • Create an autonomous tank with the ability to locate, track, and fire a projectile at a target using infrared and ultrasonic sensors and a web camera • 1/16 scale proof of feasibility for expansion to unmanned military and civilian search-and-rescue applications • Save lives by removing humans from the front line of battle and hazardous terrain • Estimated development cost of $3240 for the small scale model; full scale implementation costs over $1 million

3. Design Objectives • Detect the presence of and rotate to face a target within 5m using five infrared sensors • Approach the target to within 2.75m ± .25m using a web camera with color tracking software and an ultrasonic sensor • Re-locate the target if it moves out of range of the projectile or out of the webcam’s view angle of 36° off center • Fire a projectile at the target with a 6° cone of accuracy once it is within 3m

4. Vehicle Design

5. Project Illustration: Target Acquisition

6. Project Illustration: Rotation and Approach

7. Hardware Overview

8. Hardware Design

9. Hardware: Sensors

10. Hardware Pictures

11. Software Components • Operating on Windows CE Embedded OS • Coded software in C++ • Using Phidgets 8/8/8 Board to read sensor inputs and send digital output signals • Utilizing “phidgets21” library for function calls • Analog methods return value between 0-1000 • IR Sensors steady state between 480-520 (~2.5V) • Sensor value >400 or <600 indicates target motion

12. Software Algorithm Overview

13. Color Tracking Algorithm Edit Logitech webcam driver for color tracking algorithm Compare pixels and create a 2D Array of Boolean values flagging the pixels that are within a threshold of a target color Threshold: 20 ≥|RT–RX| + |GT–GX| + |BT–BX| where RT, GT, and BT corresponds to target colors and RX, GX, and BX corresponds to pixel colors Search the neighbors of flagged values to generate groups of potential targets Average the indexes of the largest group and turn the tank based on the group’s average offset from the center pixel

14. Problems and Limitations Tank Movement vs. Turning Ultrasonic Sensor Accuracy Tracking the Target Accumulation of Error in Turret Rotation Vertical Alignment Not Viable Color Tracking

15. Demonstration and Acceptance Testing Actions: 1. Detecting and rotating to face the target 2. Approaching and tracking the target 3. Aligning turret and firing the projectile

16. Project Schedule • Completed Tasks: • Mounted/Connected IR Sensors, Ultrasonic Sensors, Webcam • Built power circuit to run eBox by battery • Wrote template for software • Tested sensor functionality/accuracy • Processed sensor data in software

17. Future Work

18. Budget and Cost Analysis -Total Amount Spent: $285 -Total Estimated Parts Cost: $370 -Total Estimated Cost (1 Unit, Including Labor): $3240 -Total Proposed Selling Price (Based on Mass Production): $3600

19. Current Status • Completed: • Hardware integration and testing • In progress: • Tank alignment algorithm • Color tracking algorithm • Future: • Demonstration testing

20. Questions ?