ROBOTIC ARM FOR OBJECT SORTING BASED ON COLOR

Abstract-- Usually sorting of objects is carried out respective pre-programmed location. Thereby eliminating
manually using human labor. Recognizing a the monotonous work done by human,achieving accuracy
particular object and placing it in the required position is and speed in the work. The proposed system makes use of
a tiring work especially in the field advanced Raspberry Pi processor and also USB camera
of industry where in one has to sort a bulk of objects to sense the selected objects moving on the
in quick time and also the weight is greater than conveyer belt.
what a human can carry. This is when automation plays The objects are sensed using an IR sensor. When
a major role. This paper presents an efficient method that the

reduces the cost taking these factors into consideration. object appears near to its vicinity then the system

Raspberry pi isused,which is an open sourced Linux captures an image with the help of a camera and is fed as

based board which is interfaced with camera module. input signal to the Raspberry Pi processor for further

Initially the images of objects are captured using camera implementation. The Raspberry Pi processor checks the

that are required to be sorted. Open CV is used for captured image from the predefined data base of the

detecting the colour of the objects. The basic object. When the object detected matches

firmware for the Raspberry Pi is written in with the selected color then it activates the robotic arm

PHP/Python language. The system uses DC motor for the motors using interfacing circuits for

movement of conveyer belt and servomotor for robotic necessary action. The basic firmware for the Raspberry

arm gripper to pick the objects of respective color from Pi is written in Python language.

the fixed location at particular direction. The proposed system uses DC motor for the

Keywords: Raspberry pi 3, conveyor belt, servo motor, dc movement of conveyer belt and servomotor

motor, gripper motor, camera, for robotic arm gripper to pick the objects of

open CV. respective color and place it in a particular direction.

I. INTRODUCTION II. LITERATURE SURVEY

The proposed system has automatic object sorting and Traditionally, the object sorting process was done

implementing material handling(pick and place) manually. However, this method has some disadvantages

technique for selected items using robot system. It such as increase in the cost of the product, slow

synchronizes the movementof robotic arm to pick the performance, and inaccuracy due to the human mistake.

objects moving on a conveyor belt. It aims in classifying Existing sorting methods use set of inductive, capacitive

the colored(Red, green, blue) which are coming on the and optical sensors to differentiate color. Photodiode

conveyor by picking and placing the objects in its based color sensors are attached with this robot system
for detecting the color of the particular object. They
measure
color, based on RGB in material handling work. edge detecting
color model. A large in logistics and Color sorting systems techniques are widely
percentage of the packaging industry in segregating used for sorting fruits
visible spectrum can where the objects crayons, uses visual in large scale. The
be created using moving through a color matching or robotic arms are
these three colors but conveyer belt can be color sorting widely used in the
the disadvantages of separated using a techniques. For industry, but most of
this kind of system color detecting example, the crayon them are used in a PTP
is sensor sensitivity robot. Another system manufacturer (Point To Point)
range or effect of separates the objects guarantees that the trajectory, where the
environmental from a set, based on green crayon in each movements of the
conditions. In some their color. The color-assorted box robotic arms are
existing systems of detection of the will look identical in learned previously.
sorting, objects are particular color is every box. In mineral The use of sensors in
placed on conveyor done by light intensity sorting, the MSort various techniques also
belt and according to to frequency scans bulk material in helps in sorting the
movement of belt, converter method, free fall by means of objects based on the
objects get sorted. which consists of the a color line camera. parameters like height,
But the disadvantage robot with its arm The respective data is color, shape, size etc.
of this type of system supervised by a evaluated by free This is implemented in
is objects which are microcontroller based programmable sorting the microcontrollers,
already present on belt system which software of an arduino boards with
are not considered in controls DC and industrial computer the help of Mat lab
sorting process. servo motors. A by color, brightness software.
mechatronics color into good product and
III. IV.
sorting system is rejected parts. Fruit
EXISTING PROPOSED
SYSTEM based on application grading and multi SYSTEM
of image processing. scale
Color is the most This paper presents a
It aims in classifying
common feature to system which uses
the objects by color,
distinguish between low cost and open
size, which are placed
objects by sorting, source software for
on the conveyor belt
recognizing and achieving the goal of
by picking and
tracking. Generally sorting the objects.
placing the objects in
robot is mounted with Raspberry pi 3 is used
the desired place,
a camera or the camera with Linux operating
thereby eradicating
is mounted in the system, USB camera
the repetitious work
workspace to detect and open CV for
done by human,
the object. This sorting. The latest
achieving accuracy
technology can be used version of Raspberry
and speed in the
pi 3 is used which is a direct connection using
low cost, portable, Ethernet or Wi-Fi), a
multipurpose and tiny webcam is generally
computer. connected by a USB
The Fig.1 shows cable, FireWire cable,
Raspberry pi 3 or similar cable.Their
interfaced with web most popular use is the
camera, dc motor, establishment of video
servo motor. A 5V links, permitting
and 2A power supply is computers to act as
applied to the Raspberry videophones or
pi. Raspberry Pi 3 has videoconference
4 USB ports which can stations. The common
be used for connecting a use as a video camera
webcam and it has 40 for the World Wide
GPIO pins which are Web gave the webcam
connected to the DC its name. Other popular
motor, servo motor uses include security
ADC, IR sensor. H surveillance, computer
bridge is used to drive vision, video
the gripper motor as it broadcasting, and for
is available at low cost recording social videos.
and can be used to run
the motor. PWM is used
for controlling the speed
of the motors.
W
e
b

c
a
m
e
r
a
:

A webcam is a video
camera that feeds its
image in real time to a
computer or computer
network. Unlike an IP
camera (which uses a
D Motor: sorting based on W
C color o
A servomotor is a r
M k
o rotary actuator that i
t allows for precise n
o g
r control of angular :
: position. It consists of The block diagram
a motor coupled to a consists of Raspberry
A dc motor uses
sensor for position pi, servomotor, dc
electrical energy to
feedback, through a motor, ADC
produce mechanical
reduction gearbox. It controller, IR
energy, very generally
also requires a sensor, and color
through the interaction
relatively sensor. Initially IR
of magnetic fields and
sophisticated sensor detects the
current-containing
controller, often a presence of the
conductors. The
dedicated module object and
reverse
designed specifically camera captures
process,producing
for use with the image of the object
electrical energy from
servomotors. and stores it in
mechanical energy, is
Servomotors are used raspberry pi SD card.
carried out by an
in applications such Raspberry then
alternator, source or
as robotics, CNC checks the
dynamo. Many types
machinery or intensity of color
of electric motors can
automated and stores it in python
be run as sources,
manufacturing. script. Color sensor is
and vice verse.
used to detect the
The input of a
color of the
DC motor is
object by its
current/voltage and its
intensity. The ADC
output is torque
voltage values are
(speed). Conveyor
measured for each
Belt:
color and
The belt conveyor is accordingly the
an endless belt moving object placed on the
over two end pulleys conveyor belt is sorted.
at fixed positions and Now the predefined
used for transporting and present
material horizontally values of
or at an incline up objects are
Fig.1 Block
or down. Servo compared and
diagram of object
accordingly the objects
are sorted and placed
in their respective
positions with the
help of a gripper motor.

V. FLOW
CHART
 V e pixel if it is
I greater than 50 in 0- C
. t O
h 255 range of 8 bit N
A e image. If color C
L L
G intensity is greater U
D
O C than 30 then S
R I
I the object is O
m
T determined to be blue N
o
H t
M and if color intensity
o The automated
r is greater than
system outlined
S 40 then the
STEP 3: The object
T object is above provides cost
E is placed on the determined to effective, low time
P be
moving conveyor belt
consuming and
1 and the g
r technically simple
: presence of the e approach for sorting
object is detected e
I of objects. The
n
n by IR sensor. .
i proposed system uses
t STEP 4: Camera STEP 5: Predefined Raspberry pi 3 which
i captures the image of ADC voltage values
a makes the model
l the object and sends for RGB are now easy to use and more
i it to raspberry compared with efficient. Generally,
z
e pi. In raspberry the ADC sensing the color of
pi the RGB pixel voltage values of the object is a big
t values are stored and
h object and intensity of challenge as there is
e intensity is checked to RGB in image to get a chance of high
classify the accurate color of uncertainty due to the
R
P color of the the object. The external lighting
i object(i.e., Red, robot then picks conditions and other
3
Green, Blue) and places the noise. Further
S
T object at its approaches to this
E EXAMPLE: The position. STEP 7: system can be made
P
image data is 2 Stop the entire to increase
2 dimensional array of process when
:
pixels and each picking and placing
I pixel is triple of of all the objects are
n 3 values, the
i done.
t relative intensity of
i RGB is in the range V
a I
l of 0-255. (x,y,1) I
i determines red .
z
the capability to
segregate large and
heavy objects and sort
them effectively.

VIII. FUTURE
SCOPE

Fig.3
In future applications
The red
we can sort the object
is
object with differences
sensed
shapes and weights. and
placed
IX.
EXPERIMENTAL
RESULTS

Fig.4 The
Green
object is
F sensed
i and placed
g
.
2

O
b
j
e
c
t

s Fig.5
o The Blue
r object is
t sensed
i and
n placed
g

k
i
t
 X. Instrumentation
ACKNOWLED
Engineering,
GEMENT
Vol.3,Issue 3, March
We would like to 2014.
thank all the authors 3) Viren Pereira,
of different research Vandyk Amsdem
papers referred Fernandes and Junieta
during writing Sequeira, “ Low cost
this paper. It was very object sorting robotic
knowledge gaining and arm using raspberry
helpful for the further pi”, 2014 IEEE global
research to be done in humanitarian
future. technology
conference, Sept 27,
R
2014.
E
F 4) N. P.
E
Papanikolopoulos, P.
R
E K. Khosla, and T.
N
Kanade, “Visual
C
E tracking of a moving
S target by a camera
:
mounted on a robot: A
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Nov. 2012.
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sorting robotic arm
based on color
sensing”, International
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Electronics and