iTank - Vision Control Robot

Introduction:

A robot is an electro-mechanical device that can perform autonomous or preprogrammed tasks. A robot may act under the direct control of a human (e.g. the robotic arm of the space shuttle) or autonomously under the control of a programmed computer.

Nowadays robots are widely used as surveillance purpose in modern world.

To keep track with the modern world we have stepped to design and develop a small robot that is able to track a specified colored object around through image processing. We named it Intelligent Tank (iTank). It is artificially intelligent, it can track any user specified colored object. Again we call it a tank; it has a Laser light to point the object. We used Laser light as a model of a gun (it was not possible for us to install a real firing device like gun on it). Whenever iTank detects a user specified object, Laser light points to that object as if it is trying to shoot the object.

Anatomy:

iTank has three sections. The software, the circuits and the mechanical devices. Mechanical section consists of stepper motors attached with wheels and laser gun. iTank is based on a wooden structure. Circuit section has two parts, one is logic circuit and another is motor driver circuit. The software section is implemented solely in java with JMF (Java Media Framework) and parallel port control API.

Difficulties we faced:

In Bangladesh, main barrier in developing robot is scarcity of hardware. We had to depend on Dholai Khaal for motors, wheels and gears, Stadium Market for ICs and Internet (google search) for references. Problem was, what we learn from Internet is not always available in the local market and what we get from here is not on the Internet. It’s very tough to make a good combination of three Ws (What we know, What we have and What we want). Making a good workable physical structure was another issue. We had to change iTank’s structural design 4 times, which eventually increased our project cost.

Future Direction:

At present communication between iTank and computer is done by wires. But wireless communication will be best one to use it in practical purposes. iTank’s intelligence is not enough to serve practical purposes. Better AI capabilities like human tracker/bomb detector can be implemented in future.

We are:

Foyzul Hassan – shakil_oxygen@yahoo.com
Mohammad Mahedi Hasan – mahedi_018bd@yahoo.com
Goutom Kumar – apu2000bd@yahoo.com &
Md. Khairul Anam – mdkhairulanam@gmail.com

CSE-3 , MIST