Download Intuitive video glasses and camera system

1. Intuitive video glasses and camera system
Build a two-axis of freedom, gimbaled camera with wireless control and
communication using r/c servos and off the shelf camera. Integrate the camera with
a set of intuitive video glasses using gyros, accelerometers, and Arduino
microcontrollers. The objective for this project is for the camera to move in a
manner that mimics the head motions of the user wearing the glasses. For example,
when the user looks up, the camera looks up.
2. Automated Sports Field Lining Robot
Sport fields are ubiquitous in the United States. Most junior high schools,
high schools and universities have at least one outdoor natural grass sport field that
is for used for baseball, softball, soccer, football, field hockey, rugby or lacrosse. In
addition, major cities have semi-professional and professional sports teams with
dedicated fields. Privately-owned sports venues have both indoor and outdoor sport
fields. Municipal fields for youth and adults that are operated by city park services
are also numerous. Oftentimes, the same field is used for several different sports.
Each year, a typical sport field will be lined for the particular game at the beginning
of the season, and will be re-lined as needed due to the constant growth of the grass.
After the season is over, the field is re-lined for a different sport season. The process
of lining a sport field is labor-intensive. A groundskeeper will use a tape measure to
locate the four corners of the field using the 3-4-5 triangle method. After the four
corners are located, intersection points along the sidelines are located using the
tape measure. String lines are then stretched between intersection points and the
lining machine is used by the groundskeeper to paint the individual lines. Curved
lines are marked using the tape measure by staking the end of the tape to the center
of the radius and using the tape measure as a guide for the circular arc. Depending
on the complexity of the field markings and the skill of the groundskeeper, this
process can take three to four hours. In addition, the accuracy of the markings can
be poor due to the limitations of the method. A small error in the 3-4-5 triangle can
propagate over a distance of 100 yards. Errors ranging from 1 foot to 2 yards out of
100 yards are typical. Each time a field is lined, the starting point is known, but all of
the other important points must be found using the above-mentioned method.
The objective of this proposal is to develop an automated sport field lining
robot capable of accurately marking the major intersection points on a sport field.
Once the points are located by the robot, the groundskeeper will then use a
stretched string and a lining machine to line the field. The robot will be controlled
by an on-board ruggedized computer that guides the machine based on inputs from
a differential global-positioning system (GPS). This GPS system is accurate to
approximately 2 cm. The robot will be driven by electric motors using an industrial
motor controller. The power supply will be two lead-acid car batteries, which
should provide at least three to four hours of usage. An on-board recharging system
will be installed so that the machine can be plugged directly into the house voltage.
The chassis will be manufactured using extruded aluminum (80-20, Inc.) for quick
assembly and easy redesign if necessary. Critical portions of the robot will be
protected from the elements by a fiberglass shell. The intersection points will be
marked using a simple aerosol can system that is sprayed on demand by the
computer. The program to lay out the markings will be downloaded to the on-board
computer using a wireless system from a laptop computer. Starting with an initial
point and a heading, the robot will proceed to the next intersection point at a
relatively high velocity. Upon nearing the intersection point, the robot will slow
using a linear rate of decay until the point is reached. The point will then be marked
using the paint sprayer. All of the intersection points will be marked by the robot,
and then the robot will return to the point of origin and shut down, without the
intervention of a human operator.
This automated robotic system is anticipated to be a novel solution to the
labor-intensive task of lining sport fields. Once the GPS coordinates of the points
have been located, the program to find the points again will be stored and be
available for future users. Multiple programs will be available to users for different
sport fields on a given tract of land. Based on the number of sport fields in the
United States, it is anticipated that this type of system will be a very popular method
of accurately determining the intersection points of any sport field. This project is
anticipated to be the first step toward a fully-automated sport field lining robot
capable of not only marking field lines, but also marking full color graphics and
logos on both natural grass and artificial turf sport fields using multiple sprayers
using a palette of colors.