Announcing Easy Lap Counter
 

http://sites.google.com/site/easylapcounter/

Easy Lap Counter is simple way to track your R/C races. It uses a standard external web camera to watch a section of your track for movement. Moving cars are recognized by color, and laps counts and lap times are tracked.

Easy Lap Counter is free to use.

Requirements:

* 1.6GHz (or faster) PC
* Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7
* .NET 3.5 SP1
* External web camera and mount (tripod)

(I've not tested ELC w/ dNaNo's since I don't have any. dNaNo drivers w/ home tracks, please let me know well this works for you.)

Very cool Jim! I unfortunately am unlikely to get a chance to try it this month, as things are crazy due to the holidays, but what a great idea to take advantage of an inexpensive piece of hardware that most people already have as a solution for lap counting! I'll definitely be keeping my eye on this project - keep us updated on your progress! :)

I tried it today with a Dnano White 911 GT3 on Domyos track and it works very well for me. I run it on an eee pc 701 overclocked at 1 Ghz with no problem.
It would be nice if you could increased the number of laps over 99 something like 500.
Anyway thanks for this good software.

I am wondering how inexpensive of a camera can you get away with and still get decent results? I would guess faster shutter speeds equal more accurate results?

Thanks for the testing and feature suggestion.

I'll update the max number of laps to allow for 4 digits ASAP.

Yes, the better the camera speed the better the results. I use a $35 web cam (Hercules Deluxe Optical Glass) with good results. Just make sure you have a long enough USB cable, or get an extension cable.

Thanks.

Here's more idea I got after some more testing today.
1-It would be nice to have an enable/disable feature for max race time and laps.
So we can make like a 200 laps race with no time limit, or even a training without time and laps limit. May be simply 2 checkbox next to where you enter your time and laps limit.

2-Another detail but I notice it's hard to get the webcam in place so the watched "motion area" line up perfectly with the start/finish line on the track. If you can make the "Define Motion Area" feature a bit more "free" like to be able to move corners of the "motion area" once you draw it or something like a "drawing software" so we can draw the "motion area" more freely.

Anyway thanks for the good work.

great Idea. - i am just need an external webcam and then i will start testing

Today I tested your software with two dnanos and my new LifeCam Cinema.
And I am really amazed about how nice it works.

I miss a List of my Laptimes! (or am i to stupid to find it?) Or some view where we compare each others race.

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._5966251_n.jpg
http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._4146863_n.jpg

Testing cont today
 

Hi,
My results today are mixed ;)

* worked nicely with my white subaru and green murcialago once I had the camera in a good spot (so light doesn't interfer to much)
* When Markus came around with his silver R8 it didn't work at all - even when we put 3 stickers on it.

Anyway with the white and green car it worked reliable once set up.
BR
Daniel

Were you trying to race silver and white at the same time? My guess is that it was confusing the two colors since silver will look a lot like white to the camera. It might be possible to tweak the camera settings so that it sees them as different enough.

If you watch your live camera results my guess is you see some blurs of color when cars are moving at full speed... that is what the program has to work with, and it can be rather tough to sort out!

I had a bunch of friends over yesterday, and we raced up to four Mini-Z's at a time. Some bodies were pan car style body's which I painted in primary colors (red, yellow, green, blue). We also used some 'stock' Mini-Z bodies (Yellow Ferrari, Lamborghni). Provided we had a good calibration, these colors worked well and provided solid results. (see web site setup page for some pix)

If you have a particular feature you would like to see in ELC, please add a message to the google groups discussion page as a 'feature request'.
http://groups.google.com/group/easy-lap-counter?pli=1

Works very well for me (one white GT3 911)

Ah. I didn't look closely at the track color. Sort of a light grey. How close is this to the silver car?

I do plan to work some more on the issues related to track color / car color. My track is black, so dark colors like black, British racing green, deep purple don't work well at all. I have some ideas on improving this. I'll be sure to post a note here when I put up a new version (currently on 1.0.6) which has improvements in the track vs. car color area.

Hi,
Tomorrow I have time for testing. I am Software Dev by Trade - so you can maybe send me a Debug Version or whatever so I can gather data for you?
Or should I generate a Film?? - and send this to you?
BR
Daniel

Great Jim!

Used it for the first time today and worked perfectly! Thank you so much for making my nights with the Dnano funnier then they were.

Nuno

Testvideos for Dnano Track
 

Hi,
Yesterday I created 2 Testvideos for you.

http://rapidshare.com/files/32246817...Files.zip.html

One for Calibration - One for Racing.

And we included the most difficult situation aswell ;) - 2 Differently Red Cars.

I know that might never work - yet I thought it's interessting for your testing.

Hope this helps - if you need other stuff just tell me.

BR
Daniel

Thanks much! I will try them out and see if I can make any improvements.

-Jim

Well, i want to but i can't dowload...i'm not a premium user...

Thanks
nuno

Just downloaded the software, picked up a webcam (could not get my Xbox Live Webcam to find or load the driver on my PC :( and just ran my first few races. Great product!!!

It has made practicing by myself a lot more fun. I just got started in Dnano's and this is a great solution to the expensive Kyosho system. If you are still looking for feedback for future versions, here are a couple of ideas.

1) View and save complete race statistics (I'm sure this is in the works)
2) A permanent view of your best lap time (would need to be able to input track name, maybe two or three track style max)?
3) Able to enter your car's description and save it to the race data (what car, it's set-up & hop-ups, etc.)
4) Being able to add an avatar for the drivers, or pic of car
5) Insert your own image in place of the Two Flags (ex. If you start a racing club, insert your logo)
6) Or being able to change the background design

All in all, great product and thanks for developing it...

Forgot, I had one question. Is there any reasons or issues with mounting the camera directly above the track so that it points straight down?

I want to make a permanent "starting arch" that integrates the camera for a nice clean look versus using my tri-pod. Let me know...thanks :)

Overhead camera mounting
 

The only thing to be concerned with placing the camera or a mount over the track would be the shadow cast onto the imaging area. By using a tripod or looking down at an angle, you avoid the shadow. The shadow may or may not have a big effect, it depends on your lighting situation. But in general you want even diffuse lighting with no big shadows or highlights for the best results.

-Jim

Please post all suggestions / features in the Google Group
 

Thanks for the kind words and feature suggestions. I'm trying to get everyone's ideas together in one place (I don't check TinyRC very often) so please post them at http://groups.google.com/group/easy-lap-counter.

Currently there is already a simple save / load / print feature.

Try them out and let me know if they work for you.
-Jim

Easy Lap Counter 1.0.7
 

I've uploaded a new release of Easy Lap Counter which should improve car detection accuracy and overall performance.

I've also verified that ELC works on Vista 32-bit, provided Vista is fully updated.

And I've added simple contrast and hue saturation boost controls if your camera software does not offer them (PS3 Eye).

http://sites.google.com/site/easylapcounter/

Thanks. Will do. I'll be careful with the shadows. If they cause problems, I'll add some lights.

Even diffuse lighting works best. You want the camera to be able to see the cars clearly, but not have bright highlights or shadows.

Hi!
Wouldn't your software be perfect for iPhone?? What if you could place the iPhone next to the track and use it as a lapcounter with a version of your program! If you make such an app I'll be the first to buy it:-D

thats a very good idea. iphone has video and camera capabilities. lighting will have to be very good though. the iphone sucks as a camera really.