Milestone 1 Discussion

[gkahl]

Overview

Our project, BALLS (BALLS Are Logistical Lighting Spheres), is a smart juggling balls system. The goal of our project is to design interactive juggling balls which give feedback to both the juggler and audience by changing the color of LEDs housed on the BALLS.

Implementation

This will be approached by using OpenCV, computer vision, to track the path of each of the BALLS in conjunction with accelerometers on each of the BALLS to determine their position and trajectory. The BALLS will communicate with the central controller of the system, which control the colors of the LEDs using XBee modules.

End Goals

The end goal is to implement different patterns or modes for the BALLS. One idea is a training mode which sets the BALLS to green when juggling correctly, all at the same height, and changing the color to red when one is thrown incorrectly. Another idea is to have the BALLS flash a different color when hitting the peak of the throw or when caught by the juggler. Finally, there would be a show/performance mode which would change the colors of the balls throughout the path of their throw possibly with some sort of color gradient to produce a more theatrical juggling performance.

We look forward to hearing your feedback and help : )

[searri]

Limitations and assumptions

• Final demo will probably require darkness for OpenCV to work properly (this would also just look cool because the balls are lighting up)
  • Maybe there will be a dark corner in the SEH basement? This assumption might require some thought
• LEDs won't affect the way the OpenCV detects balls (since they might show up as bright white rather than a color -- vision detects in grayscale)
  • This assumption will resolve itself with testing, so at this stage it's all good 👌

Security

The radio signals are encrypted, so someone probably couldn't change the color of the balls. Also, security isn't a huge concern since the worst someone could do is make the balls not light up, but the actual juggling mechanics can't be stopped by a hacker.

Ideas from Star Squad

Have some kind of rainbow gradient based on the position of the balls in the juggling pattern: map positions to a matrix of colors, and when the ball passes each coordinate, the coordinate maps to a particular color.

[bushidocodes]

Limitations and assumptions

• HW inside of balls will not affect balance or how one juggles.

Security

• Maybe actively make the program hackable. How would this be a cool demo at DEFCON or SCHMOCON?

Ideas

• Music Mode that affects colors from songs / music
• Interactive mode from audience
• Actuator or weight in juggling balls that allows for unusual or unnatural looking arcs

[ratnadeepb]

This is a really cool idea. I would really like to know how you protect your system against and recover from catastrophic events like two balls crashing and falling (beyond an implicit trust in Mike's impressive skills)?