Object Finder Challenge
Intermediate RoboticsIntro Python plus classes, NumPy arrays, sensor data, physical units, and supervised robot use.
Before you start
- Complete Camera Module
- Understand NumPy arrays, image coordinates, and depth in meters
- Use an instructor-approved object detector
Build a camera project that finds classroom or lab objects such as a bottle, backpack, or cone and reports where each object is located.
Project Outcome
Print an object label, confidence, horizontal direction, and estimated distance. The robot remains stationary.
Camera Input
- RGB image for object detection
- Depth map for distance measurement
- Image width for left, center, and right regions
Build Stages
- Capture and inspect one
CameraFrame. - Run an approved detector on
frame.rgb. - Find the center of each bounding box.
- Read depth near the box center and reject invalid values.
- Rank visible objects by distance or confidence.
- Print a clear one-line result for each object.
First Prototype
Detect one object class and print its label, confidence, and distance in meters.
What To Measure
- Detection accuracy for each object
- Depth stability at different distances
- Effect of lighting and partial occlusion
- Frequency of invalid depth measurements
Extensions
- Build a live scoreboard.
- Add left, center, and right direction labels.
- Save a snapshot when a requested object appears.
- Compare center-pixel depth with the median depth inside the bounding box.
Safety Boundary
This is a stationary camera project. Do not add searching motion until the sensing-only version is reliable and an instructor approves a separate motion design.