Basic symbol/ action detection

I have been looking at building a simple robot for my next project and do like the line following examples. However these seem a bit limited. I was wondering what sensors/ hardware could be used so that the robot could detect points in the line where it can make a decision. For example something that indicates to the robot that the line splits left and right so it can randomly choose one and change direction. Another symbol for example could indicate a cross roads.

Full image processing is out of the question for an arduino. An ir sensors, used for standard line followings, seem to have too a wide field of vision to detect dots. Is there anything else that could be used? Magnetics in the floor maybe?

Actually as I write this could I put nfc tags in the floor which the robot reads as it passes over it?

Any other ideas?

TheGrovesY:
Is there anything else that could be used? Magnetics in the floor maybe?

You always can use reed contacts and magnets.

Or RFID tags, maybe.

If cou can put something on the runway, maybe put an IR LED there, sending infrared remote control codes which the robot can read with an IR receiver while driving across.

A color sensor and colored dots.

RGB led and simple light sensors to follow/detect colors.

Several photo sensors in a row could randomly follow splits to the left or right.

Hi
Look at this youtube

The owner of the channel has a site with some tutorials on line following and using an array of reflective sensors.

mertarduinotutorial.blogspot.com.au

Look at his projects and tutorial, very informative and he gives you a good look at the parts he is using and a good part list and location to get sample programs.

It uses one of these;

at Pololu - QTR-8RC Reflectance Sensor Array

Hope it helps.. Tom... :slight_smile:

Hey thanks for all the input guys.
@jurs not sure how the magnets contact idea you mentioned would work!

@Tom I like this idea but I would need to get them in close to make it detect a dot pattern but could possibly still work. Although it does make me wonder if I could somehow use a barcode idea. Having barcodes on the floor to give actions and a reader in the robot!

I'm still thinking at this stage the rfid idea might be best as the orientation of the tags won't matter and it can detect as it drives over where the bar code and dot patten idea might require it to stop at each point to enable it to to read them! Not sure.

Bar codes?

AWOL:
Bar codes?

Stop for a drink at each intersection?

It's what gets me home