Video cam based profile probing

[eabrust]

Just a small update.

I've been getting chunks of the plugin sorted out and working better. Things done over the last few days of a long holiday weekend :

--Added DXF file export, using 'NetDXF' library. File is currently a AutoCad 2004 format, which imports into VCarve and Lightburn with no issues. Still need to cleanup how data is collected (ie, jumping from one profile to another records the 'jump' between the profiles as a line).
--Added camera selection functionality and ability to start/stop camera.
--Added adjust ability to the 'mask' size/shape and rate of angular change. The mask is what limits the region of interest for finding the edge in the camera view.
--Added an 'auto stop' function so that after a full 'lap' around a profile is completed, the movement and recording stop automatically.
--Added another control method for the line following called 'angle/velocity control'. This method uses PID to try and center over the line, but velocity and travel direction are outside of the PID loop.

Testing is working out OK on my machine. My CNC computer is only able to grab ~15 fps from the camera, but it's still doing an OK job. Once up and running, however it puts a strain on the CPU at ~80% utilization (old core2 duo small form-factor desktop with 2 gig ram and Win7 32bit. I'm guessing this PC is at about the bare minimum.).

Attached are some sample DXF outputs from tracing a scrap of wood with laser-cut edges and shapes. The output curves in the 'compare runs' dxf show results using various PID control values, including runs around the profile with excessive oscillation due to poor turning values. NOTE: I zipped the files due to forum not accepting .dxf format files.

DXF samples.zip

(349.94 KiB) Downloaded 853 times

Rob, Keith, Tweakie,
I'm hoping over the next week or so, to do some cleanup work, and to pack the plugin and all support DLLs into a zipfile, and to write a short manual if you are still willing to give it a whirl for testing. Unfortunately, things like the PID values will have to be self determined on your individual machines, but I hope to at least write a simple process to help get you going. I also plan to leave a lot of the info I'm using for de-bugging in the plugin so if something doesn't work right, hopefully we'll be able to figure it out quicker.


regards,
Eric

[Robertspark]

Eric yes I can give it a go

[beefy]

Hi Eric,

yep I'd be happy to give it a go. Would be good to have this ability in UCCNC.

I'd be happy if it can simply accurately plot a line where black meets white on paper, i.e. forgetting trying to do an actual edge of some material with all the shadows, etc throwing things off. I don't expect a camera to be able to accurately do that.

Now where did I store my USB microscope that I used with Scanything

Keith

[Tweakie.CNC]

Hi Eric,

I would be pleased to be included in the trial (but I will not have any free time until the end of January).

Tweakie.

[dezsoe]

Hello Eric,

I forgot to write myself on the testers list!

[Karnage]

Very impressive!

[Arri]

If possible I would like to be a tester or alpha or beta user.

Regards,
-Arri

[Arri]

Be very careful... Norton 360 has detected a Trojan Virus in your Setup.exe and more.

Clipping from Symantic definition...
Type: Trojan, Virus
Systems Affected: Windows
Heur.AdvML.B is a heuristic detection designed to generically detect malicious files using advanced machine learning technology. A file detected by this detection name is deemed by Symantec to pose a risk to users and is therefore blocked from accessing the computer.

Pls see attached image...

[dezsoe]

Setup.exe was found on 8/2/2019 and it is not part of the zip. The UCamCopy.dll is reported as possible problem, because symantec doesn't know anything about it. The download insight means that it checks for how many people downloaded this file and if only a few then it is not a popular program, so maybe some problematic stuff. Nothing to do but closing this window.

[eabrust]

Hi Arri,

Just to re-iterate what Dezsoe already said,

There is no 'setup file' supplied to you. The zip provided for the test plugin contains existing dlls from Emgu/openCv/netDxf/Aforge (which you can separately aquire from downloads on the internet), and the UCamCopy.dll, which is the plugin I wrote and compiled myself. I can assure you there is nothing malicious in that dll either, but if you are uncomfortable because of Norton's false positive, you don't need to use it or test it.


regards
Eric