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What I've been working on lately.. (Update 8/10)

 
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holdsworth
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PostPosted: Feb 01, 2014 8:30 pm    Post subject: What I've been working on lately.. (Update 8/10) Reply with quote

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 Smile

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! Very Happy 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
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PostPosted: Feb 01, 2014 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also a link to a video from it doing 50m in 7s under manual steering (was testing the speed control, didn't have the camera yet)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203213063194085&set=vb.1433610061&type=3
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E.J.
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PostPosted: Feb 01, 2014 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good on you! Sending good JuJu for huge success in you venture.
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PostPosted: Feb 01, 2014 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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. Very Happy Best of luck!
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holdsworth
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PostPosted: Feb 02, 2014 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks guys! Yeah, I am running the Uno for the speed control and a Mega 2560 for the image processing.

Here's the first video of it on the track all by itself. Still have a good bit of tuning to do, but at least it was able to stay on the line on this run.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203343853583763&l=7496112632758414799
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PostPosted: Feb 03, 2014 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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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PostPosted: Feb 03, 2014 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very cool.
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PostPosted: Feb 03, 2014 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As someone who used to run track, I think this is an awesome idea. Good luck man!
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PostPosted: Feb 04, 2014 11:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome. Do you plan on using the full sized arduino's for final product or will you have boards built to suit your needs?
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PostPosted: Feb 04, 2014 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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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PostPosted: Jun 11, 2015 7:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bump... updated original post with video...
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PostPosted: Jun 12, 2015 11:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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PostPosted: Jun 12, 2015 11:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice!
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PostPosted: Jun 12, 2015 1:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pretty cool idea holdsworth! hope it pans out for you.
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PostPosted: Jun 15, 2015 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

pretty sweet. Also, you're not a quarter miler are you? Very Happy

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.

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PostPosted: Jun 15, 2015 8:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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 Laughing 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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PostPosted: Jun 15, 2015 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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. Laughing
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PostPosted: Aug 10, 2015 6:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bump for update Smile
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