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[on:]

Hello everyone,

I am trying to build an electronic stabilized camera platform to be mounted on backpack using a Go Pro camera. After searching the Internet over the last few days I have only been able to find gimbals that are incorporated into UAVs and they are more complicated than what I need.

I am just looking to make a platform that is self-leveling using an Arduino, gyro, accelerometer and magnetometer. Through my Internet searching I have found no shortage of code out there and I am having mixed results using some small servos for testing. This is my first attempt at any sort of robotics I am a little confused in what hardware I should buy.

What kind of drive mechanism should I use for each axis?
I am conflicted between using servos, a gear motor with an encoder, or possibly even stepper motors. I am leaning towards using gear motors with an encoder because I think this balancing robot http://www.x-firm.com/?page_id=145 is similar to what I am trying to accomplish. I understand that my range of movement will be limited to how the platform is attached to the backpack and will probably not exceed 180° of movement for each axis.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think the gear motors will work better for this project because of their perceived durability and price in comparison to some of the hobby servos.

[Reply #1 on:]

I am conflicted between using servos, a gear motor with an encoder, or possibly even stepper motors.

I am conflicted between using a front end loader, a jack hammer, and a trowel to dig a hole.

It would be certainly easier to help you decide if we know what size hole you needed, in what kind of material. A hole in topsoil to plant a bulb is one thing. A hole for a swimming pool, in glacier runoff, is something else.

How much weight are you moving? How fast? How accurately are you trying to position the camera? What problems are you having?

Servos can work very well, but the $5 ones are not very accurate, fast, strong, or precise. Gear motors might work, but stopping them at precise positions is hard. Steppers are strong, precise, repeatable, but not terribly fast or cheap.

[Reply #2 on:]

Have you considered using image stabilisation instead of camera stabilisation?

[Reply #3 on:]

Something similar.

http://www.lynxmotion.net/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=8430

[Reply #4 on:]

I am glad that somebody has a sense of humor after the holidays.

To be more precise I am going to be using a Go Pro Hero 2 and a modified lens with a spare battery pack that weighs about 220 grams.
I am planning on using this system as a backpack while riding a mountain bike or motorcycle up to 25 mph on rough terrain. I am trying to compensate for my riding position as my back will not always be at the same angle and I do shift from side to side. I would like to compensate for yaw if I turn my body quickly. 
I am not expecting magic out this this system, but I would like to have a platform that will help stabilize a majority of the bumps to make a relatively smooth image.


There is no image stabilization setting for the Go Pro camera. I want to use this camera because it’s high quality video and small size.

[Reply #5 on:]

I am not expecting magic out this this system, but I would like to have a platform that will help stabilize a majority of the bumps to make a relatively smooth image.

You are expecting magic if you are trying to stablize quick or jerky movement.

[Reply #6 on:]

There is no image stabilization setting for the Go Pro camera. I want to use this camera because it’s high quality video and small size.

Go for a wider angle than you need and do the image stabilising in post processing? You won't be the only one doing this type of thing, and that strikes me as a hell of a lot easier to implement than trying to do it in hardware.