A while back I posted a question about which camera and I wanted to provide some new information about it.  The problem was the Hercules cameras don't seem to be available any more, and finding a webcam with at least 720p, good frame rate, a form factor that will fit in the available Inmoov eye mechanism (both old and new versions) and cheap enough was hard to find.

I think the latter is important because having stereoscopic vision will become more interesting as functions like what Alessandruino posted recently become available.

Some of my camera investigation is here, where I've linked to a $25 720p cam that should fit.  It is on order, but I will update that info when I have had a chance to implement it.

Alessandruino

8 years 11 months ago

Thanks for sharing the link to your post !! wow... what a detailed blog !!! i'll read it for sure cause i'm going to rebuild inmoov eyes mechanism and inmoov arm ! Pictures make it even better !

GroG

8 years 11 months ago

Your documentation style is great.  You are very neat and detail orientated.  Great for complex subjects like robotics.  I'll be looking into your post in detail, but I want to throw out something which I think is one of most important quailities of cameras for robotics.  I believe I mentioned this before, the most important thing is Field of View !  At least in anthropological designs, this is the biggest short-coming in cameras.  Typically they have ~28 degrees FOV and human eyes have > 180 degrees.  So weather its the camera or an after-market lens - don't forget FOV !

I don't know all the motifications to InMoov regarding eyes and FOV but there probably would need to be some face design or eyesocket redesign to support the max field.  ie. even if you get a wide angle lens it doesnt help if its recessed too far behind the eye sockets...

Just some ideas....

Thanks for the kind words.  If I can help create any documentation for MRL, please consider me a voulnteer!

I agree that FOV will be a big deal as more vision scripts are attempted.  I like those cameras that have replaceable lenses for just that reason.

From wikipedia:

The approximate field of view of an individual human eye (measured from the fixation point, i.e., the point at which one's gaze is directed) is 60° superior (up), 60° nasal (towards the nose), 70-75° inferior (down), and 100-110° temporal (away from the nose and towards the temple).[6][7][8] For both eyes the combined visual field is 130-135° vertical and 200° horizontal.[9][10]

The stereo effect is even stranger.  Just using a 180 degree lens gets you a fisheye effect that we don't seem to experience, thanks to the stitching software in the brain. I guess that can be compensated for in software as well, but right now I suspect  facial recognition fails in the periphery of such a lens - is that true?

I wonder how far off we are from having InMoov hold a sheet of paper in front of it and be able to read it to you?

Careful for what you ask for...

I Christen you revwarguy, Duke of the Exemplary Document, Lord of the Quintessential Post !

YAY !  \o/

I'm not sure how much you know about MRL, but its a framework (stitching fabric) of Services.  The Services are the building blocks of a system, and therefore should contain the most relevent information in a digestable form.

This is the link to all the services - http://myrobotlab.org/services

I've given you access to edit them - please do so whenever you find the need or enjoyment to share your great document-Fu.  I suspect what will happen, is as you continue to develop your inmoov, you'll visit some of these pages more often, and remark, "Boy, these could use some serious improvement".  

Welcome Aboard Mate ! :D 

Well, gulp, thanks I think!

I know my site is pretty old school - most folks do video nowadays, and I do plan on doing some, certainly if  if motion is involved. Sometime though, a written reference detailing a selection thought process is important to me.  

I will definitely keep your trust in mind!  Thank you.

 

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