Color Detection Robot

This repository contains the code and setup instructions for a Color Detection Robot, designed by Logic Laboratories. The robot detects a specific color (such as a tennis ball) using a camera and HSV color calibration. Once detected, it moves toward the object by controlling motors through an Arduino microcontroller, connected via serial communication.

Table of Contents

1. Hardware Requirements
2. Software Requirements
3. File Structure
4. Setup Instructions
5. Usage
6. Troubleshooting
7. License

Hardware Requirements

• Arduino Uno: To control the robot motors.
• Motor Driver (we used TB6612FNG): To drive the robot’s motors.
• Raspberry Pi: To run the color detection code.
• Webcam: For real-time color detection.
• Robot Chassis: Motorized chassis for movement.
• Tennis ball (or other color object): The object the robot will track.

Software Requirements

• Python: For running the main detection code.
• OpenCV: For image processing (cv2 library).
• Numpy: For numerical processing.
• PySerial: For serial communication between the Raspberry Pi/Laptop and the Arduino.

Python Libraries Installation

Install the required libraries by running:

pip install opencv-python numpy pyserial

File Structure

|-- main.py               # Main color detection script
|-- threshold.py          # HSV color thresholding and calibration
|-- arduino_code.ino      # Arduino sketch for motor control
|-- color_thresholds.txt  # Exported HSV values (generated after calibration)

Setup Instructions

Step 1: Arduino Setup

1. Upload the arduino_code.ino to your Arduino board using the Arduino IDE.
2. Connect the Arduino to your motor driver and chassis according to the pin definitions in the code.
   • The Arduino reads movement commands from serial input (e.g., F for forward, B for backward).
   • Motors are driven using PWM values received from the main Python script.

Step 2: Camera Color Calibration

1. Run threshold.py to calibrate the HSV color detection for the object (e.g., a tennis ball):

   python3 threshold.py

2. Adjust the HSV sliders in the UI until the mask correctly detects the object.
3. The final calibrated values are automatically saved to color_thresholds.txt.

Step 3: Color Detection and Motor Control

1. Connect the Arduino to your Raspberry Pi or computer.
2. Run main.py to begin the detection and control process:

   python3 main.py

   • The robot will begin tracking the color and adjusting its position accordingly.
   • You can stop the script anytime by pressing q.

Step 4: Serial Connection

Ensure that the correct serial port is used when initializing the camera detector:

detector = CameraDetector('/dev/ttyACM0', 9600)

Adjust /dev/ttyACM0 to match your Arduino's serial port if needed.

Usage

Commands

• Forward Movement (F + PWM): Moves the robot forward with the specified PWM.
• Backward Movement (B + PWM): Moves the robot backward.
• Left Turn (L + PWM): Turns the robot left by reducing the left motor's speed.
• Right Turn (R + PWM): Turns the robot right by reducing the right motor's speed.
• Stop (S): Stops the robot.

Key Shortcuts

• Press q to quit both the color detection script (main.py) and the calibration tool (threshold.py).

Troubleshooting

• No Camera Detected: Ensure that your camera is properly connected and that cv2.VideoCapture(0) works.
• Serial Communication Issues: Verify that the correct serial port is being used and that the Arduino is properly connected.
• Robot Not Moving: Check the motor wiring and make sure the motor driver is properly connected to the Arduino.