Motion Path Analysis for Differential Drive Robots Using Single Video Camera and Perspective Transformations

ABSTRACT This study presents a novel method for analyzing the motion path of a differential drive mobile robot using a single video camera and perspective transformation. The robot utilized is the Zoom:Bit by Cytron Technologies, with motion planning based on clothoids, specifically the C 1 ‐Continuous Double Clothoid Segments introduced by Idris et al. The robot's movement is generated by calculating wheel speeds along the clothoid path, with the technical configuration also discussed in detail. In contrast to conventional methods that depend on automatic tracking systems such as GPS and sensor fusion, this approach adopts a cost‐effective setup using a single camera mounted on a tripod to capture the robot's motion. The recorded video is processed using Mathematica, where keyframes are extracted, and the robot's coordinates are automatically identified at specific time intervals. Perspective transformation is then employed to convert the recorded 3D motion into a 2D plane, enabling a detailed comparison between the robot's actual trajectories and simulated results. The findings underscore the feasibility and accuracy of using a single‐camera system for 3D motion capture and validate the efficiency of C 1 ‐Continuous Double Clothoid Segments for motion planning, offering a practical and cost‐efficient solution for motion path analysis in mobile robotics.