Tracking detected objects device

[andreicoso]

Hello ! I'm new around here and around robots. I want to build some kind of an arm robot that can detect a moving object based on information out of some image sensor and  to command a motor to reorient the device in the direction of the moving object.
Being my first robot i just want him to do 2 simple movements of rotation: one for right-left movement and the other one for up-down movement in order to center the object.
I really do not know how to begin with the design of the mechanics part. What components should I buy?
Any advice would be great ! Thanks in advance !
Even some page forum that talks about this subject. I lookec for but i didn't find anything.

[jwatte]

To move a camera towards a "center" of some sort, you need a pan/tilt turret, consisting of two servos. You also need a way to control those servos.
For a simple, hobby servo based one, with low payload capacity, see this: http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_2144518_-1
Control it with something like this: http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/1350

For a more capable option, try something like these:
http://www.trossenrobotics.com/p/phantomX-robot-turret.aspx
http://www.trossenrobotics.com/p/ScorpionX-RX-64-robot-turret.aspx

There's also a pan/tilt turret with integrated electronics and camera, simliar to the initial one but ready-to-use: http://www.trossenrobotics.com/p/RoboTurret-Vision-Tracking-Starter-Kit.aspx

You'd probably have the easiest time getting to the "center on interesting object" stage by using that last link (roboturret vision) as it comes with the RoboRealm software that already can do some vision/image analysis.

[Duane Degn]

The CMUcam4 can track colored objects.

It has servo headers on it. I think it directly controls the servos for you.

Also, the servo power bus is disconnected in its default state, you will need to close the 'Servo EN' jumper on the back side of the board to enable power to the Pan/Tilt servos.

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10032

Another plus for the CMUcam4 is it uses the Propeller chip (my personal favorite microcontroller).