Difference between revisions of "Bullet Time Camera"

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=Overview=
 
=Overview=
 +
Created by Ben Rigas, the Bullet Time Camera uses 24 Raspberry Pis and Pi Cameras to take 24 simultaneous photos, stitch them together and share a 360 degree animated image.
 +
 
(Put a sample .gif here!)
 
(Put a sample .gif here!)
 +
(Put a pic of the Bullet Time Camera here)
 +
 +
=Slack Channel=
 +
We actively discuss the Bullet Time Camera system in the MakerFX Slack workspace in the #mfx-bullet-time channel.
  
 
=Hardware=
 
=Hardware=
 +
*Custom bent PVC frame, 10 foot diameter, 7 feet tall. Breaks into sections, fits into minivan.
 
*24 Raspberry Pi Computers
 
*24 Raspberry Pi Computers
 
*24 Pi Cameras
 
*24 Pi Cameras
Line 14: Line 21:
 
*Velcro Cable Ties
 
*Velcro Cable Ties
 
*Black draping material
 
*Black draping material
 +
*Large television & mount for crowd
 +
*MacOS Computer to run the swift application
  
 
=Software Stack=
 
=Software Stack=
 
*[https://github.com/benrigas/BulletTimeControl BulletTimeControl - Github]
 
*[https://github.com/benrigas/BulletTimeControl BulletTimeControl - Github]
 +
*The control application is written in Swift and runs in Xcode
 +
*The control scripts are run from a mac terminal window
 +
*To be able to run the scripts, you'll need to have an ssh key already setup on each pi
  
 
=Hardware Setup=
 
=Hardware Setup=
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=Operation=
 
=Operation=
 +
 +
Ben is working to simplify this - here's the process for now :)
 +
 +
==Startup==
 +
*start all the webservers (one per pi) using the [https://github.com/benrigas/BulletTimeControl/blob/master/run-server.sh run-server.sh] script
 +
 +
==Taking photos==
 +
*click the button
 +
*look at the preview
 +
*find the file
 +
*share the file
 +
 +
==Shutdown==
 +
*Turn on all the lasers with the [https://github.com/benrigas/BulletTimeControl/blob/master/turn-on-lasers.sh turn-on-lasers.sh] script - since the lasers go off when the pi shuts down, this lets you confirm shutdown of each pi
 +
*Shutdown all the pis with the [https://github.com/benrigas/BulletTimeControl/blob/master/shutdown-pis.sh shutdown-pis.sh] script
 +
 +
=Todo=
 +
*Remove hard coded paths from source
 +
*Register domains
 +
 +
=Ideas for Improvements=
 +
*Metal pins instead of zip ties. Ian bought an assortment at Harbor Freight that can be tested
 +
*Add watermark / footer to images / animation to promote the makerspace, maker faire, foundation, or other event, etc.
 +
*Some nature of kiosk to let the person get their own image without the operator needing to send
 +
*Tablet control
 +
*Video monitor
 +
*Continuous Video to avoid timing issues
 +
*Clamps to mount lights to frame
 +
*Move to POE (power over ethernet) - for example, 3 of [https://www.amazon.com/BV-Tech-Port-Switch-Ports-Uplink/dp/B005GAATOG these switches] ($73 at amazon), and 24 of [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDLUSE7/ these adapters] ($10.89 at amazon - need to find something less expensive) New find: AliExpress - $75.04 for an 8-port POE switch and all the cables. (So $300 to get 4 so that we have a spare...)
 +
*Use the new [https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/piserver/ Raspberry Pi PiServer] to reduce the need for SD Cards by using PXE "pronounced pixie" booting
 +
** We talked about using one of the small donated computers - disk space will be an issue, as you need to have enough disk space for each OS image (yikes!)
 +
*Use some nature of computer vision to help with aiming
 +
*Make props for photos
 +
*Make a black box for kids to stand on - or for women to put their purse / phone in
 +
*Switch the control app from MacOS to a Raspberry Pi
 +
*Create website for BTCam

Latest revision as of 04:46, 16 January 2018

Overview

Created by Ben Rigas, the Bullet Time Camera uses 24 Raspberry Pis and Pi Cameras to take 24 simultaneous photos, stitch them together and share a 360 degree animated image.

(Put a sample .gif here!) (Put a pic of the Bullet Time Camera here)

Slack Channel

We actively discuss the Bullet Time Camera system in the MakerFX Slack workspace in the #mfx-bullet-time channel.

Hardware

  • Custom bent PVC frame, 10 foot diameter, 7 feet tall. Breaks into sections, fits into minivan.
  • 24 Raspberry Pi Computers
  • 24 Pi Cameras
  • 24 SD Cards
  • 24 Custom 3D-Printed Pi + Pi Cam mounts
  • 24 USB power cables (6 ft?)
  • 25 custom ethernet cables
  • 4 Anker USB Power Supplies (this one?)
  • 48 port network switch
  • Zipties
  • Velcro Cable Ties
  • Black draping material
  • Large television & mount for crowd
  • MacOS Computer to run the swift application

Software Stack

  • BulletTimeControl - Github
  • The control application is written in Swift and runs in Xcode
  • The control scripts are run from a mac terminal window
  • To be able to run the scripts, you'll need to have an ssh key already setup on each pi

Hardware Setup

  • Build PVC Frame
  • Mount 24 Pi + Pi Cam assemblies
  • Run USB power cables, connect to Pis and USB power supplies
  • Run Ethernet cables
  • Connect all Pis and control computer to ethernet switch
  • Connect control computer to network with ethernet adapter
  • Test Operation
  • Attach Drapes
  • Setup Lighting


Operation

Ben is working to simplify this - here's the process for now :)

Startup

  • start all the webservers (one per pi) using the run-server.sh script

Taking photos

  • click the button
  • look at the preview
  • find the file
  • share the file

Shutdown

  • Turn on all the lasers with the turn-on-lasers.sh script - since the lasers go off when the pi shuts down, this lets you confirm shutdown of each pi
  • Shutdown all the pis with the shutdown-pis.sh script

Todo

  • Remove hard coded paths from source
  • Register domains

Ideas for Improvements

  • Metal pins instead of zip ties. Ian bought an assortment at Harbor Freight that can be tested
  • Add watermark / footer to images / animation to promote the makerspace, maker faire, foundation, or other event, etc.
  • Some nature of kiosk to let the person get their own image without the operator needing to send
  • Tablet control
  • Video monitor
  • Continuous Video to avoid timing issues
  • Clamps to mount lights to frame
  • Move to POE (power over ethernet) - for example, 3 of these switches ($73 at amazon), and 24 of these adapters ($10.89 at amazon - need to find something less expensive) New find: AliExpress - $75.04 for an 8-port POE switch and all the cables. (So $300 to get 4 so that we have a spare...)
  • Use the new Raspberry Pi PiServer to reduce the need for SD Cards by using PXE "pronounced pixie" booting
    • We talked about using one of the small donated computers - disk space will be an issue, as you need to have enough disk space for each OS image (yikes!)
  • Use some nature of computer vision to help with aiming
  • Make props for photos
  • Make a black box for kids to stand on - or for women to put their purse / phone in
  • Switch the control app from MacOS to a Raspberry Pi
  • Create website for BTCam
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