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-   -   Announcing Easy Lap Counter (http://tinyrc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24358)

jokeane 12-05-2009 08:10 AM

Announcing Easy Lap Counter
 
http://sites.google.com/site/easylapcounter/

Easy Lap Counter is simple way to track your R/C races. It uses a standard external web camera to watch a section of your track for movement. Moving cars are recognized by color, and laps counts and lap times are tracked.

Easy Lap Counter is free to use.

Requirements:

* 1.6GHz (or faster) PC
* Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7
* .NET 3.5 SP1
* External web camera and mount (tripod)

(I've not tested ELC w/ dNaNo's since I don't have any. dNaNo drivers w/ home tracks, please let me know well this works for you.)

tinyrc 12-06-2009 01:38 PM

Very cool Jim! I unfortunately am unlikely to get a chance to try it this month, as things are crazy due to the holidays, but what a great idea to take advantage of an inexpensive piece of hardware that most people already have as a solution for lap counting! I'll definitely be keeping my eye on this project - keep us updated on your progress! :)

Fixy! 12-06-2009 04:04 PM

I tried it today with a Dnano White 911 GT3 on Domyos track and it works very well for me. I run it on an eee pc 701 overclocked at 1 Ghz with no problem.
It would be nice if you could increased the number of laps over 99 something like 500.
Anyway thanks for this good software.

pedrocamp 12-06-2009 04:12 PM

I am wondering how inexpensive of a camera can you get away with and still get decent results? I would guess faster shutter speeds equal more accurate results?

jokeane 12-08-2009 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fixy! (Post 208244)
I tried it today with a Dnano White 911 GT3 on Domyos track and it works very well for me. I run it on an eee pc 701 overclocked at 1 Ghz with no problem.
It would be nice if you could increased the number of laps over 99 something like 500.
Anyway thanks for this good software.

Thanks for the testing and feature suggestion.

I'll update the max number of laps to allow for 4 digits ASAP.

jokeane 12-08-2009 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedrocamp (Post 208245)
I am wondering how inexpensive of a camera can you get away with and still get decent results? I would guess faster shutter speeds equal more accurate results?

Yes, the better the camera speed the better the results. I use a $35 web cam (Hercules Deluxe Optical Glass) with good results. Just make sure you have a long enough USB cable, or get an extension cable.

Fixy! 12-08-2009 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jokeane (Post 208255)
Thanks for the testing and feature suggestion.

I'll update the max number of laps to allow for 4 digits ASAP.

Thanks.

Here's more idea I got after some more testing today.
1-It would be nice to have an enable/disable feature for max race time and laps.
So we can make like a 200 laps race with no time limit, or even a training without time and laps limit. May be simply 2 checkbox next to where you enter your time and laps limit.

2-Another detail but I notice it's hard to get the webcam in place so the watched "motion area" line up perfectly with the start/finish line on the track. If you can make the "Define Motion Area" feature a bit more "free" like to be able to move corners of the "motion area" once you draw it or something like a "drawing software" so we can draw the "motion area" more freely.

Anyway thanks for the good work.

DanielS 12-08-2009 12:19 PM

great Idea. - i am just need an external webcam and then i will start testing

DanielS 12-12-2009 10:23 AM

Today I tested your software with two dnanos and my new LifeCam Cinema.
And I am really amazed about how nice it works.

I miss a List of my Laptimes! (or am i to stupid to find it?) Or some view where we compare each others race.

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._5966251_n.jpg
http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._4146863_n.jpg

DanielS 12-13-2009 11:51 AM

Testing cont today
 
Hi,
My results today are mixed ;)

* worked nicely with my white subaru and green murcialago once I had the camera in a good spot (so light doesn't interfer to much)
* When Markus came around with his silver R8 it didn't work at all - even when we put 3 stickers on it.

Anyway with the white and green car it worked reliable once set up.
BR
Daniel

jokeane 12-13-2009 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielS (Post 208290)
Hi,
My results today are mixed ;)

* worked nicely with my white subaru and green murcialago once I had the camera in a good spot (so light doesn't interfer to much)
* When Markus came around with his silver R8 it didn't work at all - even when we put 3 stickers on it.

Anyway with the white and green car it worked reliable once set up.
BR
Daniel

Were you trying to race silver and white at the same time? My guess is that it was confusing the two colors since silver will look a lot like white to the camera. It might be possible to tweak the camera settings so that it sees them as different enough.

If you watch your live camera results my guess is you see some blurs of color when cars are moving at full speed... that is what the program has to work with, and it can be rather tough to sort out!

I had a bunch of friends over yesterday, and we raced up to four Mini-Z's at a time. Some bodies were pan car style body's which I painted in primary colors (red, yellow, green, blue). We also used some 'stock' Mini-Z bodies (Yellow Ferrari, Lamborghni). Provided we had a good calibration, these colors worked well and provided solid results. (see web site setup page for some pix)

If you have a particular feature you would like to see in ELC, please add a message to the google groups discussion page as a 'feature request'.
http://groups.google.com/group/easy-lap-counter?pli=1

XStream 12-15-2009 03:02 PM

Works very well for me (one white GT3 911)

jokeane 12-15-2009 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielS (Post 208290)
Hi,
My results today are mixed ;)

* worked nicely with my white subaru and green murcialago once I had the camera in a good spot (so light doesn't interfer to much)
* When Markus came around with his silver R8 it didn't work at all - even when we put 3 stickers on it.
Daniel

Ah. I didn't look closely at the track color. Sort of a light grey. How close is this to the silver car?

I do plan to work some more on the issues related to track color / car color. My track is black, so dark colors like black, British racing green, deep purple don't work well at all. I have some ideas on improving this. I'll be sure to post a note here when I put up a new version (currently on 1.0.6) which has improvements in the track vs. car color area.

DanielS 12-16-2009 02:10 AM

Hi,
Tomorrow I have time for testing. I am Software Dev by Trade - so you can maybe send me a Debug Version or whatever so I can gather data for you?
Or should I generate a Film?? - and send this to you?
BR
Daniel

nalves 12-16-2009 09:34 PM

Great Jim!

Used it for the first time today and worked perfectly! Thank you so much for making my nights with the Dnano funnier then they were.

Nuno


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