Electronics part 3: Configuration of the PixyCam 2

The PixyCam needs to be configured in order to work with the scripts on the Arduino. The Pixymon software is able to safe parameters at the PixyCam.

Step 1: Install Pixymon

Download the Pixymon software (at Pixycam.com)

• Set up a connection to the PixyCam via USB from your Computer

• MacOS users need to disable gatekeeper for first time usage

• You might need to choose "Blocks, video" in the drop down menu "View" to see the recording

Step 2: Light settings

Use the lightning settings in the "Pixy Parameter" submenu to optimize the visibility in the Pixymon viewer. You need to check what works best at your setup place. A better visibility of objects in the viewer will result in better object detection.

• Within "Tuning" submenu -> "Camera brightness"

• Several settings in "Camera" submenu

• Maybe you need to adjust light sources as the reflections in the air table contribute to the noise.

• Lowering the frames per second can help in low light situations to reduce noise.

• You can enable "Highlight overexposure" in the Pixymon parameters to show areas with poor image recognition properties.

Step 3: Block detection

• Place the floating platform on the air table. The orientation of the colored rectangle should be parallel or orthogonal to the length of the air table.

• In " Pixy parameters" -> "Expert"

  • Set "Max blocks" to 2, as you only need to detect two connected blocks.
  • Set "Default program" to "color connected components"

• In the drop down menu "Actions"

  • Select "Set CC signature 1" and "Set CC signature 2" to mark the center area of each color on the floating platform

• In " Pixy parameters" -> "Expert"

  • Play with the "Signature teach threshold" to have the hole object detected but not more than it.

• Afterwards in the Pixymon viewer: A box should be visible around both colors at the bottom side of the platform with a "s" and "phi" value.

The detection configuration will be saved on the PixyCam and can be used with the Arduino scripts.

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