Image processing to track object using Arduino and Camera Module

Hello there,

I am current in my final year of university studies and my task for my dissertation is to use an Arduino and Camera Module to track the sun throughout the day with relatively appropriate accuracy. I have been advised that it may be possible to use background subtraction to do this but I don't really know where to start or even if this is possible at all.

Any sort of help would be greatly appreciated as so far I am yet to come across anything on the internet that can point me in the right direction.

Thank-you

Tracking the sun with a couple of Light Dependent Resistors (LDRs) would be a great deal simpler. Put a shield between them so if the sun is off-centre it throws a shadow on one of them. Then move a little bit towards the brighter one and try again.

What sort of camera module are you thinking of? Unless it is very very limited an Arduino won't have the power to process an image - although, for tracking the sun no great speed is required.

...R

bradleyharrison96:
my task for my dissertation is to use an Arduino and Camera Module to track the sun throughout the day with relatively appropriate accuracy.

That is really hard to believe.

Robin2 I am using the OV7670 camera module which is very basic and simple to programme. I have seen some tracking examples online that respond to object movements immediately but I do not know how this would be implemented into a project like mine. As suggested, the sun doesn't particularly move fast throughout the sky so the speed of response can be neglected for my project.

I have looked into using LDR's as these are the most common and simplest way to track light sources, but it has been stated that I will only receive generous marking on my project and final report if I use an innovative and uncommon approach to tracking light hence why I used the camera module.

Thank-you

I have no experience with those camera modules.

I don't think it would be good for my regular camera to point it at the sun without a very dark filter to protect the image sensor from bright sunlight. On the other hand, if you put a dark filter in front of your camera module it may not be sufficiently sensitive in cloudy conditions.

...R

There is nothing innovative or uncommon about tracking lights or objects with a camera.

The Arduino-compatible Pixy camera does this using firmware.