Connecting Pixy to mBot

By Wilmer Arellano
Updated 10-24-2018
Download the Examples Here
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Wilmer Arellano © 2016

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Start Here
• https://docs.pixycam.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:v1:pixy_regular_qu
ick_start
• Install PixyMon
Next
• Go to:
• https://docs.pixycam.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:v1:teach_pixy_an_object_2
• Watch the video.
• Learn about the two methods to capture signature.
• Read the content about white balance and Signature Tuning.
Improving Detection Accuracy
• Learn about ways to improve signature capture at:
• https://docs.pixycam.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:v1:some_tips_on_g
enerating_color_signatures_2
• Read about overexposure highlighting, minimum brightness, and
signature teach threshold.
Configuration Details
Configuration Details
Configuration Details
Installing Pixy
Installing Int Casting
Tweaking the Camera Output
• Due to lighting conditions, a
single object may appear as
several objects.
• By reducing the number of
blocks the pixy detects, object
detection can be improved.
• The Pixy gives priority at
reporting larger objects.
• Set this values according to your
needs.
Connecting Pixy to mBot
Example 1
• If one or more objects
are detected, this
program prints the
signature of object 1.
• The arguments for the
Pixy functions must be
integers. Scratch
works with doubles.
The function (int) is
needed to do the type
casting.
Range of Functions Values
• Get signature of object:
The signature number of the detected object (1-7 for normal signatures)
• Get x location of object:
The x location of the center of the detected object (0 to 319)
• Get Y location of object:
The y location of the center of the detected object (0 to 199)
• Get width of object:
The width of the detected object (1 to 320)
• Get height of object:
The height of the detected object (1 to 200)
• Get angle of object:
The angle of the object detected object if the detected object is a color code.
• Serial print data of object:
A member function that prints the detected object information to the serial port
Hello World Arduino Style
• The program on the right is a popular Pixy “Hello #include <Arduino.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
World” demo with a minor modification. #include <SPI.h>
#include "Pixy.h"
• Open the Arduino IDE from within mBlock. Copy
Pixy ;
the program on the right and paste it into the
void setup(){
IDE. Serial.begin(115200);
Serial.print("Starting...\n");
• Upload to mBot and run. pixy.init();
}
• Program will detect blocks and print the void loop(){
static int i = 0;
associated data. int j;
uint16_t blocks;
• The instruction if (i % 10 == 0) limits the printing char buf[32];
blocks = pixy.getBlocks();
to 1 every 10 cycles. if (blocks) {
i++;
if (i % 10 == 0) {
sprintf(buf, "Detected % d: \n", blocks);
Serial.println(buf);
for (j = 0; j<blocks; j++) {
sprintf(buf, " block % d: ", j);
Serial.print(buf);
pixy.blocks[j].print();
Serial.println();
}
}
}
}
Hello World mBot Style v1
• The program on the right is an
mBlock version of the “Hello
World” program in the previous
slide.
• The program has the original 50
cycles update period.
Hello World mBot Style v2
• The program on the right is a
modification from the one in the
previous slide.
• Prints information once every 11
frames.
• The modulo operation was
substituted by “greater than”
check.
Getting Blocks too often Version 1
• Calling the function Get
Objects to often may
falsely return 0 objects
when objects are present.
• The frame rate of Pixy is
20 ms. You should not call
twice in the same period.
• The program on the right
returns – 1 when you call
the function again in less
than 20 ms.
Getting Blocks too often Version 1
• With and object with
signature 1 in front of the
camera, Run the program
and watch the output in
the serial monitor.
• To re-run, please press
reset button first.
• Change .02 to .001 (1 ms)
and repeat.
• What is the difference?.
Getting Blocks too
often Version 2
• Another version of this
program without using
Block functions.
Example 2
• Everything together
• In this case we set, MaxBlocks 2,
MaxBlocks per signature 1.
• We use mBot to track an object
with signature 1.
• Please note that the Arduino is
detecting one object, but the
index for that object is 0
• See video at:
https://youtu.be/pmbLD0JBqyw
Example 3
• The program in next slide will sequentially track signature 1 and then get
away from signaturen2 by turning left.
• In this case we set, MaxBlocks 2, MaxBlocks per signature 1, Min block area
40.
• After pressing the button, the robot will track signature 1 until it has been
centered or away for more than 3 seconds, after that a tone is played.
• Then the robot will get away from signature 2, until it is not visible for 3
seconds, a different tone is played and the program stops.
• A video demonstrating this program can be found at:
https://youtu.be/9Ury4ilYpew
Example 4
• The program in next slide will rotate to find signature 1 and then move
towards it.
• In this case we set, MaxBlocks 2, MaxBlocks per signature 1, Min block area
40.
• After pressing the button, the robot will rotate to find signature 1 until it
has been centered then moves towards signature 1.
• The “y” value of the object is use to stop the robot, it must be adjusted for
the particular camera height.
• The scoreGoal function must be developed, it may be very similar to the
getBall function.
• A video demonstrating this program can be found at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdPtPGIU5Fk