Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: epicbattle on January 17, 2009, 09:21:41 PM

Title: Could I get an SFR08 to track a human?
Post by: epicbattle on January 17, 2009, 09:21:41 PM
Hi guys, is it feasible to get an ultrasonic rangefinder to track a person? I am working on an idea for a robot to follow me around. I have seen youtube videos of laser scanners being able to follow a person and follow them like a duck, but these scanners cost $2500. The sonar costs about $60, but I am not sure how they will act when it's following me in a crowd. I was also trying to figure out a way to use bluetooth as a way to track my position, but I don't know what that kind of device would be called or if it is even made. Will any of this work?
Title: Re: Could I get an SFR08 to track a human?
Post by: cosminprund on January 18, 2009, 12:37:25 AM
Forget about the sonar picking you up from a crowd. You can't make the sonar distinguish you from the armchair near you, because the sonar has a wide fuzzy beam and only gives you one value. It kind of answers the questions: Is there anything in front of my robot, in my 30 degree cone of sound?
Title: Re: Could I get an SFR08 to track a human?
Post by: krich on January 18, 2009, 01:00:00 AM
Probably the only way you could "easily" get a robot to follow you is by using a beacon.  Specifically, you'd have to use something like an Infrared source, modulated with a certain frequency so that the robot can tell you from the sun, or the nearest bright light source.  You'd have line of sight issues with it, but it's a start.
Title: Re: Could I get an SFR08 to track a human?
Post by: householdutensils on January 18, 2009, 01:02:41 AM
I don't know much about this but the first things that pop into my head when I think about this question are as follows:

A> Colour and blob tracking via vision.
B> A visual beacon as stated above.
C> A radio beacon using a small transmitter in your pocket and a directional receiver mounted on a servo.
Title: Re: Could I get an SFR08 to track a human?
Post by: epicbattle on January 18, 2009, 05:38:50 AM
But is there a way to broadcast my location (my idea being using some sort of bluetooth technology? It just has to be within ten feet.) Then use other senors to determine if an object is in my way?
Title: Re: Could I get an SFR08 to track a human?
Post by: MaltiK on January 18, 2009, 06:17:45 AM
You can look up on acoustic triangulation.
Title: Re: Could I get an SFR08 to track a human?
Post by: Admin on February 03, 2009, 04:46:05 AM
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robot_faq.shtml#robot_track_person