Working on an IsoPod application, 6 years in the making, the last 2 on the IsoPod, previous 3 on embedded PC, previous to that, analog.
6 channels of quadrature decoding, high resolution velocity decoding on 3 of them Serial communications-Hybrid in, RS-485 out CANBUS Calculus, and Trig, doing inverse and forward kinematics. State machine program control Closed loop velocity control up to 1000 lines of code nowJust debuted at trade show Woo Hoo
Mike, Is this an autonomous robot application, or is it related to your work for your employer, that small, little-known camera company?
Anyway, you're such a tease!!
-- Gordon Author: Constructing Robot Bases, Robot Builder's Sourcebook, Robot Builder's Bonanza
Blueeyedp>
It is applying robotics technology to a remote crane application. It performs "motion control" without doing motion control.
The application is tracking a subject with a remote crane. When the crane moves around, it tracks the subject.
The system doesn't need to be "taught", it inferrs where the subject is based on cues given to it by the operator.
After the analog system, we started out with a positional based system on a PC. It worked perfectly but was constrained to a single point in space. Now we have a hybrid, embedded system.
Mike
I remember back in the mid-80s, when I was on CompuServe, I suggested to a camera operator the benefits of a computer-controlled Chapman crane. He couldn't see it. Sounds like this is one-better than pre-programmed moves.
If you store the motion data (and I'm sure you're doing that) you can extract it back out for the digital effects guys (or for 4D moves). Cool stuff there, Mike. Let me know if you ever need any help with this stuff!! I envy you in being able to play while you work!
-- Gordon Author: Constructing Robot Bases, Robot Builder's Sourcebook, Robot Builder's Bonanza
Blueeyedp>
We don't presently store the stuff, but we do have that capacity. Meta data is one of those things I hate, but cranes are really one of the areas where the automatic match-move software faulters. When you start recording the moves, you really need a trained tech to orchestrate it, and they have their own gear. I am not interested in replacing jobs.
When I started in on the meta-data on the lenses, I quickly realized a few things:
1) It is often discussed, but rarely used. 2) It's required accuracy is more often than not over-specified. Imagine a 5mm HD lens. The thickness of a piece of paper in distance change at 5' usually equates to several times the accuracy people say they want.This crane is a cool one, it "feels" like there is an intelligence there acting on what you are doing, helping you along, but never getting in the way. You can dial in the amount of help, or the type of help. The neat effect is doing "whip booms" where you come in from 25' up , stopping at the ground, and keeping something that is 3' away at it's closest, in frame at all times.
People always ask where the RF transmitter is, the GPS, the whatever. It is just math...
The real fun one here is how I have come at this problem from so many different directions. It eventually took a couple of phd's on the team to get the calculus squared away.
You are always welcome to come and play.
Current projects are the "300x" big lens, chock full of motors, encoders, goodies.
Hylen lens, 3 axis moco lens, which accepts 3+ axis of additional moco in a cartridge. Includes video overlay card to show pertainent info overlaid on top of the video image.
Uber-metrology test bench. Six axis' of quadrature encoders, 1um and 0.2um. Reads positions writes to a flash card. Not glamourous, but I started wednesday, and I am 1/3rd of the way done.
Ultra sensitive spot T-stop reader and micro densitometer, reads density to ~0.003 accuracy. Built in a day out of junk, but it works.
There is little difference here from my force sensors, motors, robots...
Mike
You get paid for some *extremely* interesting projects.
In my day job I write tools to help faculty teach with technology. Trust me, it sounds much more interesting than it really is. :(
Of course, that's why I got into robotics.
-- D. Jay Newman
It's taken me a number of years to get to a point where my needs are met. My superiors trust me when I want to buy something cool, because it eventually turns into a fast answer.
My basic tool box:
IsoPods LabView AutoCad LabJack "C" mounted USB camera
Tons of maxon motors, with some Micro-Mo to fill the gap Lots of encoders from CUI Lots of encoders from renishaw Lots od serial displays from seetron
With this I can provide a soluti>
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