Position Tracking Devices

[seanwitte]

Originally Posted by yongkimleng

True! This could detect angle from a fixed position (probably the ball launcher).

Perhaps if you want a true X-Y detection system of the range of a half court, you could place an ultrasonic sensor on a servo to perform a sweeping motion. Allow the sensor to perform a full scan before doing calculations and launching the ball.. which could take 2 ~ 3 seconds, which should be acceptable

I was thinking more along the lines of a rotating ball collector with an angled "ball return ramp" placed under the net. The camera would be mounted on the rotating base, keeping the return ramp pointed at the vest the whole time. Then you don't care about the angle and you're always returning the ball to where the person IS not where the shot came from. It would also be portable, just put it under the net and turn it on. The algorithm for the camera would be to keep the blob centered in the field of view.