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holdsworth PityDaFool Who Posts This Much
Joined: 01 May 2003 Posts: 5333 City: Knoxville
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Posted: Feb 01, 2014 8:30 pm Post subject: What I've been working on lately.. (Update 8/10) |
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Updates in orignal post below
Been working on a project on my own lately that I intend to turn into a business within the next few months. The idea has been on paper since June and the programming started Christmas-ish. I'm pretty excited about the progress so far, but keeping my feet on the ground, firmly.
The short version: I am developing a software-enabled pacing device for running athletes which tracks a lane line on an athletics track surface and controls its speed based on user input. The target market is colleges, high schools, professional T&F athletes, and marathon runners to aid to allow more consistent and efficient training.
Basically what I'm doing is taking a hobby-grade RC car and adding two microcontrollers and a robotics camera. The camera detects colors, sends the imaging data to one of the microcontrollers, the imaging is processed, and the output moves the steering servo in a direction to follow a lane line. The other microcontroller gets data (such as distance and time, for example, 400m in 56s) and controls its own speed based on distance traveled/left and time elapsed/left. The speed is determined by an infrared emitter/detector that counts reflections of lines on the inside of one of the wheels in a given time (for example, 8 counts is one revolution of the wheel, which is about 40cm, and if it counts 40 reflections in 1 second, it's doing 2 m/s). I just tuned the line tracking code a bit tonight and am going to test it at the track tomorrow, maybe let it try a lap if it does really well.
What I see as a production model is a bluetooth or wifi connection to a smartphone app that someone can put in everything they want, hit go, and run after it (much like a rabbit at the dog track). Lets the runner go at one speed around the track rather than checking pace at different marks and correcting based on that (therefore wasting energy having to speed up and slow down). It's currently patent-pending and going smooth thus far, so I'm very excited about what is to come... but like I said, my feet are firmly planted and I'm going one step at a time and just trying to do everything correctly and in the right order. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself but I am hoping to start taking preorders this fall, but not until I'm 100% certain of a deliverable product. There's future versions already planned, but the pacing one is the first step.
I'm calling my business Zeias (zee-ahs / zee-iss) and just calling this the "rabbit" so far. I came up with the name from Hermes, the Greek god of athletics (where the winged boots came from, modern symbol for track and field) and combined the name of his parents, Zeus and Maia. Couldn't come up with anything that didn't sound like herpes or hermit crap, so I just combined those two
UPDATE 6/11/15
After some delays and frustrations, and lots of testing and tuning, I was able to take it down to the track yesterday afternoon and run its first lap. Set it for a 1:51 pace for 400 meters to see how it would do. Had a hiccup at the 100m start line, but all-in-all it was a successful run. Just a lot more testing and tuning before it's ready to start going with runners. It's pretty shaky on the line, but it's just the first prototype... can only get better from here!
https://vimeo.com/130392119
UPDATE 8/10/15
Solid progress is being made! Attached an LCD screen with buttons on it so I no longer need to program it every time I want a different distance/time set, and I've been working out at the track with the little beast the last couple of weeks, and even paced a mile for my old high school soccer team. Trying to post some things on Instagram with it and slowly build a base of followers. Check it out! If things go right, I'll be taking a road trip to Florida within the next month to test it with my college track team and also a friend from there that runs professionally.
https://instagram.com/zeiasinc
Last edited by holdsworth on Aug 10, 2015 6:25 am; edited 4 times in total |
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holdsworth PityDaFool Who Posts This Much
Joined: 01 May 2003 Posts: 5333 City: Knoxville
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E.J. Ladies Man
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 7597 City: Mogadishu
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Posted: Feb 01, 2014 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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Good on you! Sending good JuJu for huge success in you venture. |
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pyrocasto PityDaFool Who Posts This Much
Joined: 29 Aug 2003 Posts: 5291 City: hendersonville
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Posted: Feb 01, 2014 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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Ahh the Arduino, been using one on a project I just got up and running last week. That's a pretty sweet concept you got going on, and when it drives by itself on the track I want to see a video of that. Best of luck! _________________
eeven73 wrote: |
At least 50% of the population is retarded so I discount what they think or feel automatically. |
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holdsworth PityDaFool Who Posts This Much
Joined: 01 May 2003 Posts: 5333 City: Knoxville
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GnarShredd Wakeboarder.Commie
Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 2310 City: St Pete.
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Posted: Feb 03, 2014 8:18 am Post subject: |
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This is REALLY cool. What in innovative idea, pace-car for humans, haha. This thing seems absolutely perfect for a kickstarter. |
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Okie Boarder Ladies Man
Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond
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Posted: Feb 03, 2014 8:54 am Post subject: |
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Very cool. _________________ If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? |
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Chad H PityDaFool Who Posts This Much
Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 6449 City: Atlanta
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Posted: Feb 03, 2014 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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As someone who used to run track, I think this is an awesome idea. Good luck man! |
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wakeboarderdave1 Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 3161 City: St. Thomas, MO
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Posted: Feb 04, 2014 11:05 am Post subject: |
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Awesome. Do you plan on using the full sized arduino's for final product or will you have boards built to suit your needs? _________________ RIP DLS.
"When you've got that many stars on your hat, you're pretty good." - Keith Jackson |
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holdsworth PityDaFool Who Posts This Much
Joined: 01 May 2003 Posts: 5333 City: Knoxville
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Posted: Feb 04, 2014 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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wakeboarderdave1, I'll have boards made specifically for the device. The Arduino's are just a very, very good platform to make a working prototype. If anyone is wondering, the camera used is a CMUCAM4. |
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holdsworth PityDaFool Who Posts This Much
Joined: 01 May 2003 Posts: 5333 City: Knoxville
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Posted: Jun 11, 2015 7:05 am Post subject: |
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Bump... updated original post with video... |
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flixmaster Site Owner
Joined: 30 Oct 2003 Posts: 7487
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Posted: Jun 12, 2015 11:47 am Post subject: |
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I know a guy in Round Rock that might have some connections for building of the boards etc. He was the original designer of the boost box, some USB device and the Chill Lizard. Might be able to work with you on getting the boards sourced. Let me know when you get to the point of needing custom boards done. _________________ Wakeskating
Ronix Wakeboards
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Okie Boarder Ladies Man
Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond
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Posted: Jun 12, 2015 11:55 am Post subject: |
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Nice! _________________ If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? |
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jt09 Ladies Man
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 22083 City: Austin
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Posted: Jun 12, 2015 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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pretty cool idea holdsworth! hope it pans out for you. |
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goofyboy Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 4463 City: Houston
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Posted: Jun 15, 2015 7:17 am Post subject: |
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pretty sweet. Also, you're not a quarter miler are you?
Do you set the pace of the car by speed or by lap time? Back when I ran track, I only knew that I wanted a 28 sec 200m pace or a 65 second 1/4 mile. I had no idea my speed. _________________ Work SUX! |
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holdsworth PityDaFool Who Posts This Much
Joined: 01 May 2003 Posts: 5333 City: Knoxville
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Posted: Jun 15, 2015 8:59 am Post subject: |
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flixmaster, awesome thank you! I'm working with a guy in South Carolina that is going to help with the boards, but I'm going to keep you in mind if something happens that we'll need more help!
Thanks Okie and JT!
goofyboy, no sir, I'm sure not Used to pole vault and could handle laps like that but that was a looooong two years ago and I haven't run much since haha. It was a bit of tiredness and relief that it got around decently.
The speed will be input as distance + time, so you would just tell it to do 200m in 28s, hit the start button, and wait for it to signal the start (audible or visual with lights). I'd like for people to create full custom reps, so if you're doing a run-walk-run-jog etc. workout, you can say "400m at this pace, 200m at this pace," and so on. I'd also like to implement an acceleration algorithm on the next prototype so it can be set for a fast or slow acceleration phase. |
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Mikeob1 Outlaw
Joined: 01 Jan 2005 Posts: 160 City: Chicago/Milwaukee
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Posted: Jun 15, 2015 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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That's pretty awesome. As a big track enthusiast it's a pretty sweet idea. I know it's definitely easier to his your paces/split times when you're chasing something so I could see the appeal.
Next you've got to make it get over some hurdles. |
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holdsworth PityDaFool Who Posts This Much
Joined: 01 May 2003 Posts: 5333 City: Knoxville
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Posted: Aug 10, 2015 6:25 am Post subject: |
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Bump for update |
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