Pseudo GPS for Romi

The Pseudo-GPS system for Romi robots addresses the need for precise real-time location tracking in Cal Poly's Mechatronics lab. This project, developed by Emmanuel Baez, Gabriel Coria, Owen Guinane, and Conor Schott, under the guidance of instructor Charlie Refvem, provides a proof-of-concept system to enhance the Romi robots' geolocation capabilities for advanced robotic algorithms. The proposed system uses a Raspberry Pi 4 equipped with a Pi camera module and ArUco markers to track the position and orientation of Romi robots within a lab environment. Custom 3D-printed stands secure markers on the robots, and a designated origin marker defines the coordinate system. The software stack, implemented in Python, supports marker detection and positional calculations. Testing revealed an average positional accuracy of ±7.23mm, which is below the target of ±5mm, and limitations in orientation tracking and data transfer due to time constraints and hardware issues. The system demonstrated effective simultaneous detection of multiple markers but exhibited performance variability at different heights. Despite these limitations, the project successfully showcases a scalable approach to local robotic tracking and highlights areas for future improvements, including refined height calibration and enhanced data transfer capabilities using ESP32 microcontrollers. This FDR provides a foundation for ongoing development and integration into broader robotic systems.