Vision Resources: AprilTags, Webcams, and HuskyLens

Started in the 2023-2024 season, Tech Tips are segments released in the FIRST Tech Challenge Team E-mail Blast. Sometimes the Tech Tips are included in whole in the email blast, but sometimes there is more content than is reasonable in the email blast so partial content is included in the blast with the rest of the content here.

AprilTag Localization

How can your robot determine where it is on the field by looking at an AprilTag? A set of APIs was added in SDK 10.0 to provide just that information, and it works for any static (immobile) AprilTag on the competition field. Check out the AprilTag Localization documentation on ftc-docs!

Choosing the Right Webcam

When using AprilTags, choosing the right webcam can save you from having to perform your own calibration before being able to use it for obtaining AprilTag Pose information. The Webcams for VisionPortal document highlights several commonly used webcams that have calibration data built-in to the SDK itself. Maximum frame rates, field of view, and supported resolutions with calibration data are all covered for each of the most common webcams in FIRST Tech Challenge. Short on time? Be sure to check out the handy quick summary at the bottom of the page! Did you calibrate your own camera and determine lens intrinsics for it? Please check out this FTC-Community post to contribute to the crowd-sourcing effort for calibration data!

HuskyLens Intro

This section comes to us from Chris Johannesen, 2023 FIRST Tech Challenge Volunteer of the Year and author of many ftc-docs tutorials. Have you heard of the HuskyLens and want to learn how to properly connect one to a Control Hub, learn how to use it to detect objects, and use the HuskyLens samples included with SDK 9.0.0 and newer? Chris has this and more in his HuskyLens Tutorial on ftc-docs, check it out!

Got any questions about vision on your robot? Come start or join the conversation on the FTC Community Forums!