Re: chicken chaser

[Jerry Isdale]

What is the terrain like? Is it hardwood floor, carpet? thresholds?  Lots of people legs?
Dogs or cats around? (probably not if you got chicken problem)

What size is the space you need patrolled?

Sounds like a fun project.  Maybe an airsoft gun instead of water pistol :-)

On Monday, August 27, 2012 6:59:20 PM UTC-10, hirumaui wrote:

Aloha I need some help building a roomba- like device which will chase chickens from our restaurant out here in the East end. I've uploaded a sketchup{.skp)  drawing and a .jpeg of a sketch of my design ideas Would be a great project may need some kind of chicken-shape-detection algorithm /program .. Any one interested? 

[Wade Bortz]

Love the idea - we're infested with chickens as well. I've been
thinking about some anti-chicken water guns placed strategically
around the garden... Experimenting with trapping the chickens, but
haven't got around to actually eating any yet, I hear they're pretty
tough.

Maybe instead of some image recognition software, set up a web enabled
control system. Random internet people that successfully squirt
chickens get some sort of reward - more chicken squirting privileges,
coupons, high score chart, something like that. Might be easier,
might be harder, but would probably be entertaining!

Wade

[Jerry Isdale]

heh - I can see making a video game out of it... cameras on the bot with remote viewing/control for patrons waiting for tables or sitting at the bar.   Humane society and PETA (people eating tasty animals) would probably have a fit.

I could see putting a MS Kinect on a robot frame (that part has been done), and trying to mod the software to recognize Chickens. (I love Chickens Eddy!)

A roomba might be adequate platform if the location has hard flat surface. If not, then we will require better platform.

Jerry Isdale

isd...@gmail.com

[Ben Ward]

I have one of these motion activated sprinklers to scare away chickens.

http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B000071NUS

It worked well.
It also works on party guests.

Thanks,
Ben

[Brett Christiansen]

All great ideas!  Particularly the augmented reality web game one.  Maybe just give access to a few of your retired relatives/ friends who having nothing better to do than battle your chickens.  

I've seen a pellet gun work wonders but I'm thinking of taking the fight to the air where the chickens aren't so talented.  Below are links to two different options for attacking chickens from above. They'd also work well with Hippies, barking dogs, and pesky Deer.  Set these up with some Ai software and they are good to go…… uhh.. until your neighbor calls the cops on you for accidentally assaulting him with your automated attack robot.

$$  Model  - Hackaday TASERdrone

$$$  Model - ShadowHawk Drone

-Brett

[cole santos]

Get a bird hunting dog and give it chicken feathers to play with....

[Jerry Isdale]

Here's an option for some video tracking ... Sparkfun is now selling the CMUcam v4 - its a 

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10032

"The CMUcam4 is a fully programmable embedded computer vision sensor. The main processor is the Parallax P8X32A (Propeller Chip) connected to an OmniVision 9665 CMOS camera sensor module."

It can be used as an arduino shield or standalone.  I'm not sure if it would have enough power to really tell chicken shapes, but it is an option.

Otherwise I'd try hacking a kinect.  

Cats and dogs might be simpler, but getting them to chase chickens and not be the chased may be harder.

hmm, maybe a cyborg cat brain + robo body w/air-soft or water gun.

[MauiFrank]

get a cat. more efficient.

[Jerry Isdale]

Yes and I got a couple to give away but robots ans lasers are so much more fun.

Rube Goldberg chicken chasers!

- Jerry Isdale
pls excuse typos. sent from phone w dumb autocratic. err autocorrect.