Hi, this is Wayne again with a topic “Weekend Projects – “Raspberry Eye” Remote Servo Cam”.
Hi i’m goalie with make webcams are useful and readily available tools. However, we can take their usefulness to a whole new level by allowing the viewer to reach inside the scene and control where the camera is pointing. The raspberry i remote servo cam by matt staltz, does just that and all using the raspberry pi. This project only requires a few parts, many of which you can purchase at your local radio, shack or order them. Online you’ll only need a few basic tools and access to a 3d printer. If you don’t know anyone with a 3d printer see if there’s a local makerspace that has one you can use whether you’re watching your pets, while you’re away or allowing friends to participate in an event from the other side of the world.
A web-enabled camera gives a remote user a truly unique experience. Let’S get started the raspberry, i runs on raspbian a linux based operating system built, especially for the raspberry pi you’ll, need to go through an installation process to get it up and running, be sure to check out the project page for the latest version of the software And detailed instructions on how to install it on your raspberry pi once the pi is all set up, you’ll want to start working on the enclosure, either print it yourself or order a print from an online printing service. The enclosure serves a dual purpose: by protecting the electronics and providing the structure for the pan and tilt mechanism. You can find a link to download the file on the project. Page. Okay, let’s get started with the electronics start by cutting off the small micro b end from one of your usb cables, stripped off the outer insulation and the inner insulation from the black and red wires. If you’re unsure, you can use a multimeter to verify that these are the power and ground wires, then you can cut the white and green wires flush with the end of the main cable insulation, add a length of heat shrink to the cable and then carefully wrap The bare end of the red wire around the short ends of both pins on a two pin set of headers solder, the wire in place, ensuring that it’s firmly connected to both pins do the same thing with the black wire wrapping and soldering it to both pins Of your second two pin header, add another piece of heat shrink to each two: pin header and shrink them in place.
Now you can add the servo to the rectangular hole on the top of the project case, secure it in place with the screws provided with the servo. This is the pan motor next run, the wires from the second servo through the small rectangular hole in the top of the case, and then the modified usb cable through the circular hole on the side of the case. Now you can push the tilt servo into the hole on the pan arm and secure it in place with the provided screws plug the ground header pins into both servo connectors, making a connection to the brown wire from each servo plug the power header pins into the Center connector, making a connection to the red wires use two jumper wires and plug one into each of the remaining holes on the servo connectors.
Finally, connect the two jumper wires to the raspberry pi, the wire from the pan motor will plug into pin 23 the other wire from the tilt. Servo is plugged into pin 22. now it’s time to give it a test plug in your keyboard. Mouse and hdmi monitor. So you can use the pi, then insert the sd card, the ethernet, cable, usb power, cable and then plug in both usb cables to the power supply.
Your pi should now boot. Up now we need to set the servos to their neutral position. You’Ll need to connect to the raspberry pi remotely head on over to the project page for detailed instructions on how to perform this procedure. When you’re done shut down your pi.
Now that the servos are zeroed, you can attach the arms start with a larger pan arm place it. So the long side of the arm is running parallel with the long side of the case and the servo motor on the same side as the usb and ethernet ports on the pi press. The pan arm down onto the servo gear, then secure it with a small screw run. A zip tie through the bottom holes of the tilt arm, then angle the tilt arm. So you can push the axle on the end of the arm into the hole in the pan arm. Once in you should be able to press the tilt arm onto the servo gear on the pan arm screw it into place with the remaining small screw next secure.
The camera onto the tilt arm by tightening down the zip tie now that all the hardware is ready, you’ll need to log back into your raspberry pi and configure the camera and network connections. You’Ll also start the pi cam app again go to the project page, where you can easily grab the required lines of code. Now that the app has launched open your browser and use it to access the raspberry pi. You should see the output from your camera and control buttons to move the camera’s field of view. The project page has more information about how to allow outside access to your camera via port forwarding. It’S also a great place to ask questions and share your own hacks and mods of the raspberry i remote servo cam, you .