Team 2 - Tracking Robot

An Automatic Tracking and Targeting Device

1. The Task

   This robot will be designed to scan a predefined area and look for foreign objects. If an object is found, the robot will lock onto and track it. In addition to tracking the object, the robot will also be able to calculate the distance between it and the target.

2. Tackling the Task

   The robot must have the ability to turn a full 360 circle. Due to the likelihood of a need for several sensors on the robot, a servo will be used to perform the turning as the torque of a small motor would not be great enough to cope with the weight. In addition to the advantage of high torque, servos can also be used very precisely allowing for accurate targeting. Unfortunately, the servos available only turn 180 and so a gearing mechanism will have to be applied. In order to track objects, it is proposed that three infrared sensors will be used. These will be arranged so that one sensor scans for objects and the other two detect movement to the left or the right. Infrared sensors are relatively accurate for giving distance readings and so the central sensor will also provide the data for the targeting.

3. Possible Extensions to the Task

   Once an object has been targeted, the robot could:
   
   Fire projectiles at the target aiming using the distance calculated
   or
   Illuminate the target with a search light
   
   The robot could be modified to allow it to operate in a noisy environment. Rather than operating in a completely empty arena, the robot could perform an initial scan to map out its environment. An additional robot could be constructed in order to test the tracking and targeting of the main project. The robot could be a simple "bumbler", having no defined direction but simply choosing random directions and being able to cope upon a collision with an object.

4. AI Issues

   This project presents several artificial intelligence issues that will have to be addressed:
   
   The robot must be able to recognise objects in order to track them
   The robot must be able to determine the direction that an object is moving in so that it can follow the target
   The robot must be able to calculate its distance from a target and adjust its targeting accordingly
   

5. Issues if the Extensions are Tackled

   
   The robot would have to be able to recognise an actual target in a noisy arena of stationary objects
   The bumbler robot will have to know how to navigate around an arena