Dangerous Prototypes

In development => Project development, ideas, and suggestions => Topic started by: stivbigs on May 16, 2012, 05:16:37 pm

Title: Optical digital odometer for trekker
Post by: stivbigs on May 16, 2012, 05:16:37 pm
Hello to all,
I have to create a 11dof platform with gps and IMU solution for gps outages period.
Now I'm thinking to use also an odometer, to increase stability of positioning.
If I wanted to install it on a car it should be easy: I can link it to a wheel, counting wheel cycle.
But I have to install this system for trekking: a solution can be a pedometer, but it isn't too accurate.
Another solution is "reading" the ground to calculate distance and velocity, as a mouse of a pc.
There are 2 possibilities:
1) with the same principle of a optical mouse, interpreting the light reflected from the ground
2) with the same principle of a modern optical mouse, interpreting the image captured by the camera, correlating it with the distance traveled
Do you think can it be possible? Does exist already something for this?
Thanks
Stiv
Title: Re: Optical digital odometer for trekker
Post by: ian on May 24, 2012, 02:23:54 pm
What are you attaching to? A person? I think that would take a camera and a laptop to decode.
Title: Re: Optical digital odometer for trekker
Post by: stivbigs on May 24, 2012, 03:28:50 pm
Yes, I thinks so.
But it would be a project that has to be developed.
I want to try if I can increase the precision of my IMU with a odometer.
The odometer can be a pedometer (I think a bit inaccurate), a cycle wheel or a camera. Then, if the precision increase significantly, I will develop a better odometer. But first of all I want to test my IMU with this "self made" odometer, that can be a pedometer, a cycle wheel or a camera.
The best it would be to actualize an odometer with a camera, as newer optical mouses.
I have two possibilities: or I make the software myself or I can take the system of a mouse, but I don't know how to realize it. Do you know where I can find the software of an optical mouse. Or do you have other suggestions?
To answer to you: I would attach it to the belt of a person, triyng to be quite stable. I would use a small netbook to process all.
Thanks
Stiv
Title: Re: Optical digital odometer for trekker
Post by: ian on May 28, 2012, 11:36:27 am
Please see my reply in your other thread:
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=4022&start=15#p40997 (http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=4022&start=15#p40997)
Title: Re: Optical digital odometer for trekker
Post by: stivbigs on May 30, 2012, 01:22:24 pm
I have seen this: http://store.diydrones.com/Optical_Flow ... 016-01.htm (http://store.diydrones.com/Optical_Flow_Sensor_p/br-0016-01.htm)
But I don't know how can I use it.
I think it can be intresting, but.. can be easy?
Stiv
Title: Re: Optical digital odometer for trekker
Post by: ian on May 30, 2012, 03:41:40 pm
I think that is something you should ask the community at DIY Drones. It says helicopter vertical hold, so maybe, but it is a 30x30pixel camera from a mouse, so you're back to the optics issues. I think this is a complex project no matter what you do, easy depends on your skill level :) Take a look at DIY drones example code available on that page, it might have what you need.

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