Detect 'FRIENDLY' and 'ALIEN' moving object

[malishan]

Greetings Everyone.

I am looking to develop a small educational project as an end of term project for my Graduate programme. The concept is to identify a moving object and then categorise it as either 'FRIENDLY' or 'ALIEN'.

The term 'FRIENDLY' means they will be known to the system and the term 'ALIEN' means their existence is unknow to the system.

I am looking to find out;

a) Can I equip a vehicle with a chip or tag and then use a scanner to scan a moving car to establish if the chip/tag was installed on it. However, I am not sure if a vehicle is not equipped with a chip/tag, will I also be able to get a TAG NOT FOUND event triggered?

b) Can I use a microcontroller Arduino or Raspberry Pi to capture an image of the vehicle if 'TAG NOT FOUND' event is triggered.

c) Can I use a microcontroller Arduiono or Raspberry Pi to plot 'FRIENDLY' and 'ALIEN' objects on a Map (not too fuss about the geo location)?

Your help is greately appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Pommie]

That is exactly what the toll tunnels in Australia do. Tags get debited auotmatically or no tag get number plate recognition.

Mike.

 

[gophert]

Graduate studies (Electronics or computer Engineering, I assume?).

It would be great if your major is French Art History.

 

[dougy83]

If you're happy with an optical "chip", then you can use something like a QR code to identify the vehicle, and a camera to read the code. OpenCV has ArUco Markers that you could use for this purpose, including code examples. See: https://docs.opencv.org/master/d5/dae/tutorial_aruco_detection.html

 

[malishan]

If you're happy with an optical "chip", then you can use something like a QR code to identify the vehicle, and a camera to read the code. OpenCV has ArUco Markers that you could use for this purpose, including code examples. See: https://docs.opencv.org/master/d5/dae/tutorial_aruco_detection.html

Thank you dougy83 for the suggestion. Does the QR code reader has the tendency to read it from a distance of up to 15 meters? And can I program the QR code to have data like 'Vehicle Registration Number', 'Vehicle Registered To', 'Resident Information', etc

Thanks

 

[malishan]

That is exactly what the toll tunnels in Australia do. Tags get debited auotmatically or no tag get number plate recognition.

Mike.

Thanks Pommie for the abstract suggestion. I am reading the toll tunnel concept now.

 

[dougy83]

If you can provide a decent-quality image, similar to those shown in the examples in the page I linked, you can decode them.

I wouldn't suggest storing personal information in the code itself, but use the code as an index into your database containing all the personal information. E.g. if I gave my library card number to the librarian, she would know my name/age/address/borrowing-history/etc., without needing that information to be printed on the card itself.

 

[dougy83]

The other option is just to recognise the number plate to do the same thing. The difference is that number plate recognition is more difficult than recognising the binary markers.

 

[malishan]

If you can provide a decent-quality image, similar to those shown in the examples in the page I linked, you can decode them.

I wouldn't suggest storing personal information in the code itself, but use the code as an index into your database containing all the personal information. E.g. if I gave my library card number to the librarian, she would know my name/age/address/borrowing-history/etc., without needing that information to be printed on the card itself.

I am sure we will also be able to detect if a vehicle is not equipped with a QR code and trigger the camera to capture it's image? In terms of cost, which one is cost effective? |RFID| or |QR|? Thanks

 

[dougy83]

Well, you have to capture the image no matter which approach you take (for identification of ALIEN vehicles), so you would already have a camera pointing at the vehicle, no? What do you think is cheaper?

 

[malishan]

Well, you have to capture the image no matter which approach you take (for identification of ALIEN vehicles), so you would already have a camera pointing at the vehicle, no? What do you think is cheaper?

The RFID reader if I use a UHF range reader can have a reading distance for up to 20 meters and it can read up to 50 tags per seconds. It is costing me ~$400 (neglacting the maintenance cost, installation cost and camera cost). I am not sure if a QR scanner can read from such distance without issues and how many QR codes it can read per seconds.

 

[dougy83]

There are some tests done in https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6964/486cc917bea4d27f6ef4f5f06a6340fc76b9.pdf , with a close-focus camera approx 640x480, and the detection takes around 30ms. Presumably you'd be using a higher-resolution camera, so this time would increase. You'd also have to consider focus, motion-blur, exposure, shutter time, etc.

 

[gophert]

Thank you @dougy83 for the suggestion. Does the QR code reader has the tendency to read it from a distance of up to 15 meters? And can I program the QR code to have data like 'Vehicle Registration Number', 'Vehicle Registered To', 'Resident Information', etc

QR code's can hold just over 7000 Alpa-numeric characters (I.e. bytes!, not bits). I don't think any RFID formats hold nearly that much.

If you add error correction to the QRCode, the data drops but read reliability goes up. I don't think error correction is an option with rfid so rereading the tag is required - which can be difficult to identify the most-read tag in a multi-tag situation.

Note that various industry organizations that were promoting RFID technology acknowledged QR code's were a blow to their market development. RFID tried to promote the fact that manufacturing date, expiration date, serial number, ... could be contained in the RFID chip and transmission. But, the internet and server-based technology quickly eroded the rfid value proposition because, only a serial number was needed and could be searched online for the corresponding data. QR Codes can be used the same way but the QRCode can even contain the website linking to the database.

The only disadvantage of qr is the line-of-sight to the tag limitation.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

QR code's can hold just over 7000 Alpa-numeric characters (I.e. bytes!, not bits). I don't think any RFID formats hold nearly that much.

Wow!! - I had no idea - I can't say I've ever really looked at QR codes.

 

[gophert]

Wow!! - I had no idea - I can't say I've ever really looked at QR codes.

My memory failed me. It is over 7000 numeric and 4000+ for alpha numeric. 177 x 177 size QRCode with minimal error correction.

 

[shortbus=]

Dumb question time. How will having a picture of the "alien" vehicle stop a problem from said vehicle?

 

[gophert]

Dumb question time. How will having a picture of the "alien" vehicle stop a problem from said vehicle?

Because it meets the criteria the student set as their own research goal.

 

[Reloadron]

Been around a long time but I call it IFF (Identification Friend or Foe). Simply put I acquisition a potential target on my radar and I send out a signal looking for a reply. So I ping the potential target. If there is no reply I launch a radar guided missal and remove the target. Matters not if the target or myself are moving or stationary. IFF has likely been around since WWII. Things like reply pulses are changed regularly.

Side note: When US submarines are running on the surface they, like aircraft, run IFF. This way aircraft can identify them as friend or foe.

You want to enter my perimeter gate and I challenge you. I ask you the password and you either know it or you don't. Only done on a much higher refined scale.

Just develop a basic IFF system with a transponder. Yes, as mentioned similar to Easy Pass with a whole bunch of whistles and bells.

Ron

 

[gophert]

Been around a long time but I call it IFF (Identification Friend or Foe). Simply put I acquisition a potential target on my radar and I send out a signal looking for a reply. So I ping the potential target. If there is no reply I launch a radar guided missal and remove the target. Matters not if the target or myself are moving or stationary. IFF has likely been around since WWII. Things like reply pulses are changed regularly.

You want to enter my perimeter gate and I challenge you. I ask you the password and you either know it or you don't. Only done on a much higher refined scale.

Ron

I'm never going to knock on your door! One typo and, Poof!

 

[Reloadron]

Well OK, let's just say if the reply is not there or incorrect it would warrant a closer look or investigation. Just shooting down targets is a little harsh. Hope you are doing well.

Ron