HowTo use Raspberry Pi & OpenCV to track objects & turn servo

How I made my Halloween skeleton head turn to watch people as they walk by using a Raspberry Pi Zero, servo, camera, and OpenCV python library.

Parts:
BYOS (bring your own skeleton)

Guides I followed:

(note you have to turn off the camera view in the code!)

Sourcecode:

[OnnieKoski]

This is pretty amazing. I’m shocked the raspberry pi zero powered this whole project. I was expecting a 4 or 5!

[brettreel]

Hey! I replicated this using your guide, was a huge hit this Halloween. Wanted to thank you for the details you included. There were some things that have changed since this was released and this was my first time using linux or soldering but your video made it easy! It gave me an opportunity to work on a project with my grandpa after my grandma passed away and it really brightened him up. Thank you!

[samuraitatin]

I just subbed to your channel, it seams that you haven't been here in quite some time. But I find it very entertaining and informative.
Thank you for that!

[kevinhoward]

It is really neat to see your full process, Scott! I have a raspberry pi in the basement that has been waiting for me, and you are inspiring me to pull it out!

[tad]

Congrarts on getting featured on Hackaday

[JohnSmithZen]

Hey CuriousInventor. Just wanted to say hi. Always loved your videos. Informative AND funny!
I hope you're doing well.

[frollard]

that's pretty fun. I've wanted to do ...this...forever. Strikes me that it wants to have the camera/pi in the head, and then 'always try to center the view on the object of desire' - but that can be problematic for motion.

[billywatson]

Great video! I am using this code as inspiration for a color tracking project for school. I had a quick question about the remap function and how it works. I am currently having trouble utilizing the full frame to get an angle. It seems that it only registering an angle for a quarter of the frame.

[SkylinesProductions]

Very cool! I have a question. Can you also use the tracking software to detect and react to the object changing in distance from the camera?

[woolfy]

I wonder if it's possible to make it track an object fast? I've been trying to find a guide but, no luck yet.

[trauatsgg]

very good project! I tried installing open cv on my RPi4 and did not have good luck I followed all the links. the issue is that when I got down to the 'make -j4' it failed each time stating 'No targets specified and no makefile found.'

[mohitrahaman]

what processor and code does the dog tracking use?

[dogsnmore]

Which RPi OS are you running? Which OpenCV release did you get installed? I've been trying to get OpenCV loaded onto a RPi Zero W for 2 months now and I've have no luck. Could you post an image of your SD to Github? Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.

[katygrete]

Hey, very good project.I have rebuilt your project and it works fine. Only I noticed that the servos do not turn off. Can you include a routine in which the servos turn off when, for example, no movement is detected? Many greetings !

[deepakrajora]

please help me as i show your videos you have great knowledge of things