Autonomous Robotic Arm Based on Computer Vision

Project Title

Autonomous Robotic Arm Based on Computer Vision

Project Area of Specialization RoboticsProject Summary

We are doing Bachelors in Electronics Engineering from Sukkur IBA University. Our final year project is based on robotics which is Autonomous Robotic Arm based on computer vision our Supervisor is Dr Muhammad Asim. The aim of our FYP is basically to pick and place things (i-e Ping-Pong ball) from one place to another one. This FYP is basically consists of three main parts. 1-Hardware part (the manipulator link) rigid body of the arm which is of Four Degree of Freedom (DOF) .Further, we have used smart servos called Dynamixel AX12A motors, these motors are quite accurate and the precision is also quite high.

2- Software is another part of our FYP in which we are doing programming and designing algorithm in programming language Python with help of opencv libraries. We are using python as programming language because it is quite easy and more importantly it is open source programming language. In python we implemented the kinematics (i-e Forward and Inverse Kinematics) of the manipulator by calculating it theoretically and then implementing it in python. Similarly for detecting the object we have also used a algorithm in python to detect object based on it[s color.

3- The final  part of our FYP is Trajectory and path planning for the manipulator. In which manipulator decides itself where object is laying and how to pic it and how much force is applied to pic the object these all planning’s are done through implementing algorithm in opencv python.

Gripper is another part of manipulator which is used to pick and place objects. In this project we designed pneumatic gripper, which can pick and place object through air pressure. But we are also trying Gripper should hard as manipulator link which has jaws to help it to pick and place objects.

The purpose of our FYP project is basically to reduce the human efforts which are wasted by doing the routine and repeated jobs in the industry, and of course this project is quite learning project for students like us.

Project Objectives

Present day industries are aiming for complete automation to eliminate the human errors. It had been a major challenge for the Industries to automate the color sorting applications. This project meets the objective by developing an Eye-bot, a typical model used to pick and place the desired color objects from one location to another. The benefits are that it will increase the speed and accuracy of the color sorting process. It will cut down the cost of color sorting process. This project will also optimize the overall productivity of that particular industry.

Project Implementation Method

1. Methodology for Implementation of Project

Figure 1: Block Diagram for implementing Robotic Arm.

Our Methodology for Implement the Robotic Arm is divided in following Parts.

Hardware:

Our Hardware is consisting on following parameters.

• 3D designing
• 3D Printing
• Laser cutting

Electronics:

Electronic components are requires for circuitry of our hardware.

• Dynamixel motors
• Motor drivers
• Microcontroller
• Camera

Software:

The robotic arm has four degrees of freedom including rotational, shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. The robotic arm also has a gripper that it can use to manipulate objects. Within its environment. The joints of each arm can be individual controlled by both open-loop control and closed-loop proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control. The robotic arm also has software written for implementing inverse kinematics, allowing for a three space position of the end effector to be given for the robotic arm to meet. The robotic arm software also includes written functions to provide individual angle feedback of each arm joint. Finally, this thesis provides software to allow for each robotic arm to be driven as if it was a motor, thus allowing for many of the consensus algorithms which rely on single integrator kinematics to be used.

Following software are required for our project implementation.

• Solid Works
• Eagle
• Matlab/python

Computer Vision.

This Project is dealing with Computer vision and it performs main part in Robotic Arm, It detect the objects and Its position with certain parameters  (i-e. edge) and it will pick desired color object from one location and then drop it in box which is at other location.

Benefits of the Project

Definitely, this project is beneficial for industries such as Autonomous indisrties. These type of project not only reduce the time but provide accuracy and the more importantly these machine won't be get bored or be tired which is required in the field of work. It is quite better for industry management that thy will not pay for the work to the type of machines.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

Following is the Technical detail of our FYP:

Technically our project is sound enough. Becuase we have used high torque motors and different type of software to manipulator links and design a algortihms.

We have used,

• Dx12A motors              (4 pieces)
• Manipulator link consisting of rigid body consisting of different molds.
• pneumatic gripper in which suction cups are used.
• Camera
• Controller 

and software like:

• solid works
• python

other technical portion:

• 3D printing
• 3D Designing

Final Deliverable of the Project HW/SW integrated systemType of Industry Food , Manufacturing Technologies Artificial Intelligence(AI), 3D/4D Printing, RoboticsSustainable Development Goals Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureRequired Resources

Item Name	Type	No. of Units	Per Unit Cost (in Rs)	Total (in Rs)
			Total in (Rs)	70000
AX-12A	Equipment	4	6000	24000
Manipulator link	Equipment	1	35000	35000
camera	Equipment	1	3000	3000
controller	Equipment	1	6500	6500
printing	Miscellaneous	1	1000	1000
suction cups	Miscellaneous	1	500	500