[Dprglist] Seeing the RoboColumbus cones

[John Swindle]

Dave Anderson and others,
 
Some time back I asked why visible light cameras are used to locate the traffic cones. I think the answers were that such cameras are cheap, and something to the effect that the color of the cone is notable.
 
I don't think I made my point: As with sonar operating at a frequency that we think is noise-free because we don't hear all the interfering noise that exists above our hearing, I think we have a conceit that orange is unique enough because it looks dramatic to our eyes. But visible light is such a tiny part of the usable spectrum. What I was suggesting is that there might be a characteristic of the cones that could be exploited to give fantastic distinction to the cone's location, even if the exploit is unique to the cones that are being used that day. The exploit might require the robot to illuminate the cone. (Or, shall I say, irradiate the cone? The group might find that disturbing.)
 
My comments are motivated by several things:
 
 . The problems of using visible light cameras to guide a self-driving vehicle, where radar, LIDAR, and other approaches are much more foolproof.
 
 . "Alternate light sources" cited in the forensic TV shows. A fancy name for colored light and some beyond-visible stuff.
 
 . Tricorders and ship's sensors.
 
Later,
John Swindle
 


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.dprg.org/pipermail/dprglist-dprg.org/attachments/20161205/1aeb0ef7/attachment.htm>