@fxrtst, After reading again your original posts, I think you are looking for sensors to detect people etc around the robot?
On my EZ robots I use miniature Panasonic PIR motion sensors, they have a detect range of 5m with a beam angle of 100 degrees, here is a link for them.
I have sent some of these out to Dave and Mel, but I am not sure if they have tried them yet?
This photo shows how I use them, one goes in each left and right ear lobe, when they detect moving heat radiation the blue LED rings glow. The front facing one you will see in the nose area and its a different type that has a tighter beam angle of 38 degrees.
I currently use 3 on my robots one each side and one in the front. I also developed a special algorithm (on an 8pin PIC) to make them more intelligent. I needed to do this as I found that if the main controller (EZ-B etc) just looks out for the 3 digital inputs, it can get very confused if there are a few people moving around its sphere of view! So what the algorithm does is monitor the 3 inputs over a set period of time and calculates where (which side or front) the most movement is, this is the most interesting side to be looking. How this works is say you had one person on the left side and two people on the right, then the PIC would flag to the EZ-B that the right side was more interesting etc and your script could send the robots head to look at this (more activity) side first.
If you need any more info on this, just let me know.
@Toymaker , no I haven't used these yet but plan on making them my choice for movement detection. This feature is a little down the list of priorities. I just haven been able to get the needed time to finish other parts of my B9. I'm a little conserved though about the "confusing" issue you mention. I'm not sure I have the talent and know how to incorporate anything like an algorithm program like you did and incorporate it into ARC. confused Heck, I'm still struggling with a ramping script to help my Sabertooth / Kangaroo X2 combo start and stop smoothly. Thanks to Rich I was able to ramp up nicely but having trouble getting it to ramp down. Anyway that's for another thread.
Personally with the little I know about sensors I think there may be a better choice then the ping sensor for this application.
I brought up this discussion as I needed to make a design decision, based on the space I have left. As this project is "kit" based, customers will be able add items on their own. I'm trying to keep my price point down by not including any hardware (servos, EZB or sensors), but to give customers optional places in design, to place a ping or PIR or other sensors. But the 3d printed prototype for Kickstarter should have as much hardware as I can cram in there.
@Tony , thanks for all the links and info. You certainly will be quarried many times in the next few weeks, as I get the roll out going.
@Josh , I'm going to keep it all private for now. But, I'm sure I've discussed it here before.
@Dave , Yeah I was hoping the ping would work, but I just don't know enough. I'm hoping when this is released people will cloud their scripts and whole projects, then others will build on that.
I am hoping that @Will's Kickstarter project is a scaled down B9 Robot, if it is I would certainly would purchase one! @Will, if I can be of any technical assistance on your project, please do not hesitate to ask?
@Dave, you could do the simple PIR algorithm in an ARC script, I just like to do "pre-processing" with support microcontrollers so that the EZ-B can do other more important things.
I was privileged enough to see Will's project. You guys will be amazed. Real Hollywood grade stuff. I'm not really surprised really though. I expect stuff like this to come out of a mind like Will's. He didn't win that award he's holding in his avatar for nothing. It's kind of a big deal. You guys gotta stay tuned to this one.
@fxrtst, After reading again your original posts, I think you are looking for sensors to detect people etc around the robot?
On my EZ robots I use miniature Panasonic PIR motion sensors, they have a detect range of 5m with a beam angle of 100 degrees, here is a link for them.
uk.farnell.com/panasonic-ew/amn31112j/sensor-motion-5m-100-82-white/dp/1373711
I have sent some of these out to Dave and Mel, but I am not sure if they have tried them yet?
This photo shows how I use them, one goes in each left and right ear lobe, when they detect moving heat radiation the blue LED rings glow. The front facing one you will see in the nose area and its a different type that has a tighter beam angle of 38 degrees.
uk.farnell.com/panasonic-ew/amn33112j/sensor-motion-5m-38-22-white/dp/1373715
I currently use 3 on my robots one each side and one in the front. I also developed a special algorithm (on an 8pin PIC) to make them more intelligent. I needed to do this as I found that if the main controller (EZ-B etc) just looks out for the 3 digital inputs, it can get very confused if there are a few people moving around its sphere of view! So what the algorithm does is monitor the 3 inputs over a set period of time and calculates where (which side or front) the most movement is, this is the most interesting side to be looking. How this works is say you had one person on the left side and two people on the right, then the PIC would flag to the EZ-B that the right side was more interesting etc and your script could send the robots head to look at this (more activity) side first.
If you need any more info on this, just let me know.
Tony
@Tony... you have some serious design, electronics and programming skills thanks for helping us out here...
@fx , it was directed to you
@Toymaker , no I haven't used these yet but plan on making them my choice for movement detection. This feature is a little down the list of priorities. I just haven been able to get the needed time to finish other parts of my B9. I'm a little conserved though about the "confusing" issue you mention. I'm not sure I have the talent and know how to incorporate anything like an algorithm program like you did and incorporate it into ARC. confused Heck, I'm still struggling with a ramping script to help my Sabertooth / Kangaroo X2 combo start and stop smoothly. Thanks to Rich I was able to ramp up nicely but having trouble getting it to ramp down. Anyway that's for another thread.
Personally with the little I know about sensors I think there may be a better choice then the ping sensor for this application.
I brought up this discussion as I needed to make a design decision, based on the space I have left. As this project is "kit" based, customers will be able add items on their own. I'm trying to keep my price point down by not including any hardware (servos, EZB or sensors), but to give customers optional places in design, to place a ping or PIR or other sensors. But the 3d printed prototype for Kickstarter should have as much hardware as I can cram in there.
@Tony , thanks for all the links and info. You certainly will be quarried many times in the next few weeks, as I get the roll out going.
@Josh , I'm going to keep it all private for now. But, I'm sure I've discussed it here before.
@Dave , Yeah I was hoping the ping would work, but I just don't know enough. I'm hoping when this is released people will cloud their scripts and whole projects, then others will build on that.
I'm really looking forward to seeing your magic. If it's anything like the rest of your work it's going to be amazing!
I am hoping that @Will's Kickstarter project is a scaled down B9 Robot, if it is I would certainly would purchase one! @Will, if I can be of any technical assistance on your project, please do not hesitate to ask?
@Dave, you could do the simple PIR algorithm in an ARC script, I just like to do "pre-processing" with support microcontrollers so that the EZ-B can do other more important things.
@Richard, thanks for the kind words.
Tony
I was privileged enough to see Will's project. You guys will be amazed. Real Hollywood grade stuff. I'm not really surprised really though. I expect stuff like this to come out of a mind like Will's. He didn't win that award he's holding in his avatar for nothing. It's kind of a big deal.
You guys gotta stay tuned to this one.