Detecting and following

Bigshot team capt · Post by **Bigshot team capt** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 10:32 am

I'm trying to build a robot that can detect another and follow it (to allow it to attack). What sort of devices should I use? Infra Red/Ultrasound? I'm now not concerned with obstacle dodging, as I've come up with a solution for this....

Simon Windisch · Post by **Simon Windisch** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 12:35 pm

We've got a Cybot that follows using ultrasound. It has two sensors, one to the left of centre and the other to the right, and it somehow knows when you're dead in front of it and will follow you... not always successfully.

Simon

Post by **BeligerAnt** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:08 pm

Both ultrasound and infra-red will work, and transducers are available.

You're better off directing this sort of question at the RobotBuilder forum - http://www.robotbuilder.co.uk/forum as there are lots of people there that have done this sort of thing.

As Simon says, you need two sensors and a control algorithm that says "turn towards the sensor giving the biggest signal". When the object is straight ahead the sensors give a roughly equal signal. Development of a successful algorithm and tolerance of false signals are the hardest bits, probably why Cybot has some problems...

You could also try looking on the web for autonomous sumo or minisumo robots. They incorporate exactly the system you are looking for.