visionTRIx– Machine Vision Based Robotics Workshop

TRI comes up with VisionTRIx, a workshop on next phase of Robotics i.e. adding an eye to the robot. VisionTRIx aims to impart the concepts of Machine vision to help you in developing vision based autonomous machines. The workshop provides application oriented sessions, which will eventually culminate with the development of vision based ball follower prototype. Through the workshop, we aim to abridge the complex task of dealing with camera based navigational robots, by means of fundamental and intuitive image analysis techniques rather than the ‘niche’ techniques which remained confined to the geeky few.

The concepts that will be covered during the workshop are:-

Session 1: Introduction to Machine vision

• Need for image processing in robotics
• Sequence of operations in developing a vision system
• Tools for Image processing

Session 2: Exploring MATLAB (The rapid prototyping tool)

• Getting familiarized with Matlab environment
• Signal representation in Matlab
• Audio & Image acquisition in Matlab workspace
• Matrix and array operations
• Improving code performance
• Functions in MATLAB

Session 3: Familiarization with Image processing terminologies

• Concepts like luminance, hue, intensity, texture, resolution, pixel
• Exploring image types and understanding Image parameters
• Dealing with Color Spaces
• Importing and exporting images in MATLAB
• Finding image pixel values and converting image formats

Session 4: Handling Images in MATLAB

• Connecting the hardware (webcam) and retrieving hardware information.
• Using the Image acquisition toolbox
• VFM driver for primitive MATLAB versions

Session 5: Image Processing Approaches & Image Enhancement Techniques

• Spatial and Frequency domain
• Pros and Cons of Spatial and Frequency domain Approaches.
• Adjusting image intensity
• Image histogram equalisation
• Using arithmetic functions to enhance images
• Thresholding
• Edge Detection
• Template matching
• Distinguishing colors
• Shape Detection

Session 6: Hardware Details

• Features of vizBOT Kit
• Details on working of controller board
• Basics on controlling the motor through PC

Session 7: Data Communication using MATLAB

• Standard sequence of operations to be performed for playing with external devices
• Create an object for accessing port
• Configure, start and stop an objects
• Controlling the machine through ports
• Developing navigation functions

Session 8: Development of Ball Follower Machine

• Algorithm development
• Factors deciding sensitivity of the machine
• Iterative image processing
• Programming and Simulation for overhead camera based navigation

Target Audience (any of these)

• Second year engineering onwards (preferably from ECE/CS/IT)
• Hobbyists / robotic enthusiasts (non-ECE/CS/IT can also participate)
• Interested towards machine vision based project/robot
• Being knowledgeable is not a must, being trainable is…

VizBOT Kit Details

The controller board

• L293D based motor driver circuit with a parallel port control (drives 2 DC motors)
• Opto-isolator based coupling to ensure PC safety
• Parallel port cable connector

CMOS Web Camera

• Video Format : 24bit RGB
• 30 Frames/sec
• Focus Range : 3 centimeters To Limitless

Chassis and mechanical components of robot

Handout/CD

• Detailed Handout describing the features of controller board
• CD containing all the Necessary resources, software, datasheets, programs, etc

Registration Details

Participants have to register online in a team of 2 students. Charges for the workshop are Rs 4500/- per team (applicable taxes extra). This cost includes:-

• Cost of the training program
• Cost of utility CD & Hand out
• Cost of Certificate

The Vizbot kit components can be purchased online at discounted prices after the workshop.