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Motion analysis with Matlab

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Shawn Larkin HON 396 Dr. Saveliev and Dr. Sarra September 5, 2007

Abstract:

As a child I used to build what I would imagine to be robots. They were not actually functioning robots, but they were fun to play with and it was this fascination that first sparked my interest in robotics and special effects in movies. I would like to be able to one day build a remote controlled robot that could navigate its own way around a room with obstacles. It is an extremely difficult situation mathematically, but I will start the basic idea and go from there.

My project will focus on the abilities of Matlab to analyze video input and eventually lead to computer/robot vision based on the following basic structural outline:

I will start with the basics of computer vision through motion detection and being able to decipher when an object is moving in the field of vision. For this I will need to use a basic single camera video input, or pre-recorded video as input. I will then move to motion tracking and the ability to track movement across that same field of vision and distinguish specific direction. In order to accomplish this, I will have to study some higher math functions and the Image processing toolbox in Matlab. The final phase of my project would incorporate a form of stereo vision to be able to distinguish space and distance with the possible addition of a form of laser-based distance tracking using a laser pointer and some simple hardware and possibly some mirrors.

It is my goal to achieve these steps in order to move on towards the ultimate goal of a distant future project which would be computer navigation.