Project
| # | Title | Team Members | TA | Documents | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Smart Tripod |
Henry Thomas Kadin Shaheen Miguel Domingo |
Chi Zhang | proposal1.pdf |
|
| # Smart Tripod Team Members: - Henry Thomas (henryjt3) - Kadin Shaheen (kadinas2) - Miguel Domingo (jdomi8) 1. Problem Traditional tripods provide stability for cameras and smartphones but lack dynamic adjustability and real-time framing assistance. When setting up a shot, users must manually adjust the tripod’s angle and position, often requiring multiple iterations to get the perfect frame. This is especially inconvenient for solo photographers, vloggers, or group shots where precise positioning is essential. Additionally, while taking personal videos, standard tripods will not adjust their camera angle to ensure you stay in frame and centered. Though motor controlled tripods do exist, they lack the extra functionality of being able to view your camera image real time, and do not offer automatic subject tracking. 2. Solution We are creating a smart tripod system that enhances traditional tripods by integrating motorized adjustments and real-time framing assistance. This system will allow users to remotely control their phone’s position and preview the shot through an external display, making it easier to capture well-framed images and videos without manual repositioning. The smart tripod will connect wirelessly to a user’s smartphone and use stepper motors to adjust the phone’s angle and orientation. An external display will provide a live preview of the camera feed and serve as the control interface for adjusting the tripod’s position. The system will also include a tracking feature where the camera will follow a subject, adjusting the camera’s orientation ensuring that the subject stays centered on the field of view. 3. Solution Components Subsystem 1 - Motorized Positioning System (MPS) The MPS will utilize 2 stepper motors for zenith and azimuth orientation. The main body will be made out of a non-toxic 3d printed body, most likely PLA. It will also include a phone mount and clamp made of the same material. The MPS will have the following electronic components: Custom PCB, An ESP32 for Websocket interfacing and motor control, 2 Makerlabs DRV8825 stepper motor controller, 2 Adafruit 324 12V 350ma stepper motors, A power system (discussed below) Subsystem 2 - Remote Display and Control Interface The ESP32S3 controls the tripod’s motors via WebSockets over WiFi, with physical buttons for azimuth (horizontal) and zenith (vertical) adjustments. A Raspberry Pi 4, running RPiPlay, wirelessly receives the iPhone’s camera feed via AirPlay and displays it on a Waveshare 2.4-inch SPI LCD. OpenCV on the Raspberry Pi processes the video to track a subject, sending position data via GPIO through a SparkFun BSS138 Logic Level Translator to the ESP32S3, which adjusts the tripod accordingly. A switch toggles between tracking and manual modes. WebSockets over Wi-Fi enable motor control and iPhone camera actions (photo, video, zoom). The ESP32S3 provides a shared Wi-Fi network for seamless communication. The remote control interface will also contain a custom pcb and a power system, the latter of which is discussed below. Subsystem 3 - App Interface A custom app will use WebSockets to receive ESP32S3 commands over Wi-Fi and control iPhone camera functions via AVFoundation, including video start/stop, photo capture, and zoom. Subsystem 4 - MPS Power System This subsystem is intended to supply power to the stepper motors, esp32, and motor drivers. The power system will include: 1 KBT 12V, 2600mAh Li-Ion battery pack, 1 Recom R-78B3.3-1.0 3v3 buck converter Subsystem 5 - Remote Display and Control Interface Power System The power system of the control interface is designed to supply and maintain onboard power to the Raspberry PI, ESP32S3, and other onboard circuit. The power system will include:, 1 3v7 LiPo 2000mAh 2c battery, a 1S 3v7 2c (4 amp working) BMS, A Type-C connector for charging, A 3v3 step down voltage regulator for the ESP32 and Logic Level Translator, 1 5V step up voltage regulator for the Raspberry Pi, Logic Level Translator, and LCD display 4. Criterion For Success - Motors must respond to inputs and tracking commands within 250ms with precise movement (±2°). - iPhone camera actions (photo, video, zoom) must trigger within 500ms over Wi-Fi. - iPhone screen must stream to the remote display via AirPlay with <1s latency and ≥24 FPS. - Tracking must detect and follow the subject within 250ms after receiving video, maintaining focus on the first detected subject. - The system must run for at least 30 minutes without overheating, maintaining stable operation. |
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