Badminton shuttlecock detection and prediction of trajectory using multiple 2 dimensional scanners

This paper describes the use of two dimensional (2-D) laser scanner for locating badminton shuttlecock in real playing environment. It proposes a method to predict the end point of shuttlecock trajectory. The system is designed using two 2-D laser scanners to locate shuttlecock in midst of air in its trajectory. It helps to calculate shuttlecock's speed, orientation and hence, to predict an end point of its trajectory. This system acts as an intelligent feedback system to a badminton playing robot. The badminton playing robot requires enhanced and deterministic shuttlecock detection system for its accurate operations. The shuttlecock detection system can be implemented in designing of such badminton playing robots making the badminton sport more advanced as robots can be used to assist players in training programs. The paper deals with simulation and real experimental results obtained by two 2-D laser scanners to perform complex task of shuttlecock trajectory prediction. The physical implementation ensures minimum computational latency over traditional camera based shuttlecock detection methods. On field trials involved two scanners to locate shuttlecock at discrete time interval and promising results are obtained indicating such detection system with suitable modifications can be employed in shuttlecock trajectory prediction.