Heat seeking/tracking security camera

[PhilWyn]

I have been tasked in work as a final exam for my electronics/electrical engineering degree to design and build a security camera that detects movement and then tracks that person automatically. I am in a group of three and my other two mates are also stumped. In our design we have to include a processor, therefore we need the circuit board design, the microprocessing program and any other help that any genius out there can give us.

 

[Johnson777717]

I'm no genius but have you considered using ultrasound instead of a heat seaking device. I'm not sure, but I think Infrared (Heat seaking) devices are very expensive, and difficult to find on the commercial market. Using ultrasound may be a low cost alternative, and easier to interface with.

 

[PhilWyn]

Thanks!

Do you have any ideas on that or any cct diagrams?

 

[bmcculla]

You could use thermopiles. They arn't that cheap: $12 each. But thats not too bad for a project. You'd only need a couple to make a simple tracking system. Digikey has some. They work like a thermocouple but are non-contact devices.

Pyroelectrics are another posibility. The give AC coupled outputs though so you need a chopper wheel to be able to get DC info.


Brent

 

[Russlk]

A parabolic reflector can concentrate the heat waves onto a sensor. I think a CDS (cadmium sulfide) cell will respond and is cheap. I believe this is the system used in the sidwinder missle. The CDS cell is small, so you could have 4 for up, down, right, left.

 

[Johnson777717]

I though CDS cells were used for light, rather than temperature???
As I understand CDS = LDR = Photoresistor. Can you help me understand?

 

[Russlk]

The only difference between light and heat is the wavelength of the radiation.