Welcome to this step-by-step guide on building a general-purpose motion capture system for drones! This project assists in autonomously flying multiple drones indoors with ease. Buckle up as we navigate through the setup, dependencies, and troubleshooting tips for your motion capture adventure.
Watch the Demo
For a visual walkthrough of this fascinating project, be sure to check out the demo video available at: Low Cost Mocap Demo
Understanding the Architecture
The architecture of this system is meticulously designed to ensure precise tracking and motion capture without relying on expensive equipment. Here’s a glimpse at the architectural diagram:
Dependencies Installation
Before diving into the code, let’s gather the necessary components:
- Install the pseyepy Python library: pseyepy GitHub.
- You will need the sfm (structure from motion) OpenCV module. This requires compiling OpenCV from source. For assistance, you can visit:
- You can also explore the experimental no-cv-sfm branch for potentially eliminating the OpenCV-SFM dependency, but it remains untested.
- Don’t forget to install npm and yarn!
Running the Code
Time to get your hands dirty! To run the setup:
cd computer_code
yarn install
yarn run dev
This sequence will install your Node dependencies and start the webserver, providing you with a URL to view the frontend interface. Meanwhile, in another terminal window, you’ll need to initiate the backend:
python3 apiindex.py
This backend server receives camera streams and executes the motion capture computations. Just like a conductor orchestrates a symphony, this server harmonizes all incoming data!
Documentation and Community Support
The documentation for this project is a bit sparse, and that’s where you can step in! If you’re keen on enhancing the code’s readability, consider adding type definitions in Python. Additionally, feel free to use the discussion tab for any inquiries or contributions.
Understanding Inside-Out Multi-Agent Tracking
This motion capture system employs an outside-in methodology, wherein external cameras track the drones within a defined space. Conversely, there are inside-out systems that adhere cameras to drones for localization, eliminating the need for external infrastructure.
If you’re interested in a deep dive into an inside-out approach, you might want to check out my undergraduate dissertation showcasing a system that localizes multiple agents using visual data: Distributed Visual SLAM.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you encounter any issues while setting up your motion capture system, consider these troubleshooting ideas:
- Make sure all dependencies are correctly installed, especially OpenCV and the pseyepy library.
- Check for any syntax errors in your code or ensure you are in the right directory while running commands.
- If the webserver fails to start, verify that your Node.js version is compatible with the project.
- Don’t hesitate to ask for help in the discussion tab!
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