Hi Team...
I drive a sweeper truck and one task is to sweep a racetrack.
I need a solution to have a laser or similar to monitor the distance from the truck to the edge line (white).
We make several laps moving over the track at a set amount each lap.
The laser(or similar) needs to be dash mounted and read through the windshield (or external mounted) but would need the following functionality.
- screen to ensure the laser is pointing/ aligned to the line
- user input to select the next position on the track. Ie 3mtrs in, 6mtrs in
- screen to show to move in/out.
I need the suggested parts. Coding isn't an issue but examples much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Witsendsolutions:
Hi Team...
I drive a sweeper truck and one task is to sweep a racetrack.
I need a solution to have a laser or similar to monitor the distance from the truck to the edge line (white).
We make several laps moving over the track at a set amount each lap.
The laser(or similar) needs to be dash mounted and read through the windshield (or external mounted) but would need the following functionality.
- screen to ensure the laser is pointing/ aligned to the line
- user input to select the next position on the track. Ie 3mtrs in, 6mtrs in
- screen to show to move in/out.
I need the suggested parts. Coding isn't an issue but examples much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
One of my customers manufacturers a truck mounted laser used to guide the painting of highway striping. The driver can remotely adjust the laser to show the prior stripe or the surveyed marks for an new striping. This might be just what you need and no Arduino is involved. The company is Laserline and is located in Redmond, Oregon.
Paul
I am thinking 2 or 3 fixed lasers pointing out the side at the appropriate lane widths. Then you just drive looking at the line and try to keep the Nth dot on the line. No Arduino needed.
The sweeper industry doesn't have standard hardware for this? It seems like it would be a common problem.
Agriculture uses foam markers for weed spraying and other tasks that don't make a mark like plowing. There is a device on the end of the spray boom that drops regular dollops of foam. The foam evaporates after a few minutes, leaving no visible residues.
More advanced tractors use GPS to track what was sprayed and also add auto-steer so the tractor parallels the previous path with the driver's hands off the wheel.
Look at LIDAR3 at sparkfun.com
$130, 40 meter range.
Might even be able to write a line following program based on distance (versus optical sensors looking down) that beeps or gives you right or left indications.
Line-following robots work well in indoor environments with the line directly under the bot. Following a line 20m away outdoors is much, much more difficult. That's why the sweeper still has a human driver.