which sensor to use ? MRP-1 Human follower ?

[ppro]

Dear Sirs,

I just found about your new robot MRP-1 project on YouTube and very interested about it.

I am looking to find a way to make a robot to follow his owner just like MRP-1 , I have already came up with the idea of using a pair IR Beacon sensors but it's not a good way since user should always point it to the device, When I saw your MRP-1 project on YouTube I thought that you used a better way than IR Beacons but didn't get it, you said that you used Hokuyo Laser Range Finder sensor on you robot but I don't know how dose it follow the person and how dose it recognize that person from others? would you please tell me about your solution for this problem? what kind of sensor did you used it on MRP-1 to follow that person?

I'm willing to buy the sensor if you sell it.

any advice is much appreciated,

[A380]

Laser range finder is a device which uses a laser beam in order to determine the distance a reflective object and some of it can scan up to 360 degree. But Hokuyo Laser Range Finder which MRP-1 used only scan in range 5.6m and within 240 degree.
The result of scanning the surrounding obstacle is shown as below (top view):


For MRP-1, it will recognize the owner's leg while the start button was pressed and always follow it's recognized leg. This algorithm is written in program, so the laptop always doing processing with this algorithm to follow the owner. But it also has some limitation. Like when other people cross between MRP-1 and the owner, it will follow that people.

Some laser range finders are available at Cytron Technologies.
Like this one http://www.cytron.com.my/viewProduct.php?pid=JjMrJQ08AAofHBQZHBcONnzRWQG5xAOOle!!!!!Cqhd!!!!!U9c=&store=

[ppro]

it's a great Technic that Cytron has used on MRP-1 but laser sensors are expensive and they need a powerful processor to process the data of it.

I'm thinking of using an AVR, like Arduino board (atmega128) instead of a laptop as the processor of a robot and ultrasonic sensors for range finding and obstacle detection.

writing an algorithm to detect a leg is an creative idea but it has some limitations as you already said.

Now I'm thinking of finding a way to detect a person or an object attached to him, for example in his hand or pocket or something attached to his leg and this way robot mange to detect that object first and then try to approach it.

I know about Ultrasonic sensors, IR-beacons, color sensors and some others but I need suggestion and ideas from robotic experts like you and other forum members to find the best way together to fulfill this work.

I'm waiting for your ideas and suggestion as well as other forum members and admins.

thanks a lot

[sich]

Maybe CMUcam is a solution for you. It's being designed to interface with microcontrollers through UART. You can configure it to track specific color blobs. It'll feedback the centroid or perimeter of the blob to the controller. From there, you know where's the location of a certain object and you can control your robot or mechanism to follow the object.

[ALLURE209]

Hi,

Do u sell the platform as well (MRP)?
I am thinking to use the platform to do similar thing for my final year project.
Does it come with the driver/ algorithm /program to instal on the laptop.
whats the operating system run on the laptop? window?
I understanding, the HOKUYO Laser used to find th disctance.
What about the sensor use the recognize the person or it's leg?


Thanks

[ppro]

Hi,

Do u sell the platform as well (MRP)?
I am thinking to use the platform to do similar thing for my final year project.
Does it come with the driver/ algorithm /program to instal on the laptop.
whats the operating system run on the laptop? window?
I understanding, the HOKUYO Laser used to find th disctance.
What about the sensor use the recognize the person or it's leg?


Thanks

good question, do you sell the platform as well? if yes how much dose it costs?