Facial expression recognition &head pose tracking using swarm robots

Attraction points:1. Project Goal: Develop more accurate facial pose and expression estimate using SWARM robots

2. Project Tasks: Design and build pan tilt units for cameras Develop SWARM controller for camera fitted turtle bots moving with humans for capturing facial expressions Evaluate and choose suitable camera for robot swarms Minimise the battery usage

3. Resource Availability from sponsor: Intraface face recognition software Robot SWARMS (8 Turtle bots) with MS Kinnect, iRobot create base, netbook laptop running ROS on Ubuntu Camera options (3D time of flight cameras, IR imagers) 2 facial recognition phD students to guide us

4. Possible applications: Automatic identification/verification of a person from digital image/videos for security purposes(airport/companies etc) Employee attendance Robotic security workers in houses, colonies, fire-prone areas etc (time consuming) Low cost 3D scanning and converting to CAD model Gesture recognition for differently abled people (for Patients) Gesture recognition in animals (petcare) Garbage sensing & removal in large areas (Swarm application only) Automatic video/photo shooting (Along with Walk with Me)

5. Why do this project? Good application set Good resource availability Lesser budget

6. Why not do this project? Unclear project purpose/application Already lot of work done in this field Mostly computer vision, other fields untouched Complicated, can be lengthy

Walk with Me

Attraction points:1. Project Goal: Implement sensing and control over mobile robot to safely move ahead, behind or next to a walking human at his/her speed

2. Project Tasks: Achieve accurate following Achieve range of operating speeds Accurate human robot communication interfacing

3. Resource Availability from sponsor: Mobile robot platform not given by sponsor, may be made available from university Experienced faculties like Jim Osborn, Reid Simmons, Jodi Forlizzi No other resource availability from sponsor (atleast seems so, sponsor can be pushed for)

4. Possible applications: Escort for women safety Automated Video/photo shooting (facial recognition+ walk with me) Light seeking SWARM plant bots Carrying goods while shopping Staffing in nursing homes Carrying luggage on airports Warehouses & manufacturing plants, to carry the goods Walking dustbins

5. Why do this project? Clear and defined project purpose Unexplored/partially explored area in robotics Various consumer end applications Easy to implement Multidisciplinary, involves Computer Vision, Electronics, Mech. design

6. Why not do this project? Insufficient resource availability Budget can go bigger if mobile platform not provided

Grading (on scale of 10)

Deciding factorsFacial recognitionWalk with Me

Purpose clarity510

Clarity in tasks510

Resource availability105

Guidance availability105

Possible applications510

Positives510

Negatives55

Total4555

Comparison