RESEARCH, INSTRUCTION, SERVICE, ENTREPRENEURSHIP – EYE IN THE SKY RESEARCH RISE STUDENT: ZACH PECK MENTOR: JOHN WELSH

BACKGROUND Introduction to Engineering Design (ENES100) is a course at UMD taken by every freshman engineer Students split into teams and design an autonomously controlled hovercraft that can accomplish a given task This project has been in place for several years, and the curriculum now needs some revision New project will require students to construct rovers that traverse a sand arena to accomplish tasks

OBJECTIVE Assist in the development of the new ENES100 curriculum Student built rovers required to accomplish tasks To be implemented within the next several years Create an “eye in the sky” webcam-based system Track locations of student rovers and tasks Relay coordinates to student rovers A fully constructed arena, including camera (top center) and rover.

INITIAL CONCEPT Webcam interfaced with Robot Operating System (ROS) Linux based Retrieved webcam images and relayed them to image processing algorithm Image processing algorithm: ARUCO Open source in C++ (found online) Detect coordinates of unique markers An example marker that can be detected by the image processing algorithm

INITIAL CONCEPT CONTINUED… Interactive, web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) Display live camera feed Control various camera parameters Display port statuses on student Arduino Communication Protocol Bluetooth link between server computer and Arduino Automatically packaged data

PROBLEMS ROS Sharp learning curve – difficult to modify system Somewhat difficult to interface with Arduino Single platform – can only run on Linux systems GUI Bulky and slow Runs only on select browsers Communication Protocol Bluetooth signal intermittent/inconsistent

REVISIONS Eye in the Sky became an entirely C++ based system Easier to modify GUI simpler to understand Cross-platform – can be run on any Windows, Mac, or Linux system Communication protocol shifted to Radio Frequency (RF) Much more consistent connection Ability to communicate with multiple receivers simultaneously