Enhancement of a VEX Robot with Raspberry Pi

2019 COE Engineering Design Project (TY06)

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Faculty Lab Coordinator

Truman Yang

Topic Category

Software Systems

Preamble

The current VEX robot does not provide a true vision sensor that allows real-time image processing. To enhance the functionality of the VEX robot, a Raspberry PI (with its camera module) is introduced to the robotic system, where the PI will be dedicated for image processing. The resulting robotic system with the Raspberry PI makes it suitable for us to implement more complex and advanced tasks such as vision based control, servoing and tracking.

Objective

Design and implement algorithms to provide solutions of vision based control, servoing and tracking problems.

Partial Specifications

(1) Software development with RobotC or Python.
(2) The algorithms must effective and efficient.

Suggested Approach

(1) OpenCV is used for image processing and feature extraction.
(2) Communicate between Raspberry PI and VEX via UART port

Group Responsibilities

Design, implement, and test the algorithms as specified above.

Student A Responsibilities

Design and program an autonomous mobile robot to navigate through a list of waypoints whose 2D coordinates are specified

Student B Responsibilities

Implement path planning, trajectory generation, vision-based control and coordinated control of a group of robots.

Student C Responsibilities

Program the robot to follow/track an object (a ball or a person)

Student D Responsibilities

Document the design and implantation of the algorithms and solutions

Course Co-requisites

COE318: Software Systems