Design of an Automated Robotic System for Object Tracking and Targeted Lighting

Abstract

This paper introduces a modular robotic system designed to provide targeted illumination for various work tasks by dynamically adjusting a spotlight’s orientation. A distinguishing feature of our system is its compatibility with MATLAB via a direct interface, allowing users to effortlessly implement and test their own algorithms for object detection and tracking. By combining the capabilities of an actuator unit, spotlight, and camera, the system is able to recognize and track different objects, providing precise lighting tailored to various applications. A comprehensive exploration of the underlying geometric relationships, control mechanism as well as the object detection and tracking methodologies is performed. An experiment was conducted to provide insights into the system’s real-world performance. The results demonstrate a high degree of reliability, with tracking accuracy predominantly constrained by the neural network. Our findings highlight the system’s potential as a versatile tool, particularly beneficial for researchers and developers aiming to experiment with and enhance object recognition and tracking algorithms.