Webcam Intergration

[Joker94]

Would it be possible to build the electronic processing circuit(s) for a currently available camera EG.AVRcam and modify the circuit to process the images/vedio stream from a webcam.

I know it is eaier to go with a ready built and proven camera but i am interested in doveloping something to run a webcam for robotic vision.

Thanks, Joker94

[galannthegreat]

You would need to use a computer for that sort of thing, or some very powerful controllers.

ie. ARM9 cored devices (like the ones used in an NDS), etc. (something with video/image processing abilities)

To answer your question, you can possibly do it, but it will get expensive, so if you want to do that you'll most likely need a computer for it.

But it would be cool if someone made their own robot camera out of a webcam... kind of like the Blackfin or CMU cams.

[Joker94]

Well i have been looking around and i have found this. It is only a cheaper camera but forwhat i need i think it will be ok, what do people think of this particular model.

Data sheet=http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Sensors/Imaging/CM-26N.pdf

Web page=http://www.littlebirdelectronics.com/products/cmos-camera-module-640x480-1

[galannthegreat]

You need a way to process the video data... My suggestions may be of help there.

[Joker94]

Now as i have been doing some more research on the possibility of using a camera and i am starting to lean away from the idea i need to find a substitue system for sensing the bottom of a small plant like in the pic attached.

Has any one got any ideas on how iam going to be able to sens the bottom of the plant for the watering rig i am building. As in what sensors would be suitable.

thanks joker94

[radhoo]

I'd say that even using image processing and neural networks or haussdorf distances for shape recognition is hard to achieve what you need, and the success rate won't get bigger then 20%. Not to mention that the processing task is a killer even for a fast PC.

So from my point of view, the logical conclusion is to drop the idea of using a camera completely, and use some other identification mechanism for the bottom of the plant.

Things like UV fluorescence if works on your plants, or even some small detectors implanted near the bottom of each of the plants.

[Joker94]

Yeah, when i had posted my last pos i had pretty much given up on the camera idea.

You idea of using a physical beacon at the base of plant is a great idea. I might look into it furthur, may be something like a infared emitterand detector pair or a hall sensor or something along those lines.

Thanks Joker94

[madchimp]

you might even be able to use RFID if the plants are spaced out evenly and in rows you might even be able to have the RFID tag between rows and when the bot passes over it it knows its next to the plant and how far away that way your "beacons" could be passive

[galannthegreat]

That would work very well, and here's a suggestion for a system that could be used.

http://www.robotshop.ca/phidgets-rfid-kit-1.html