Range Measurements for Machine Control
For intelligent robot operations scanning range measuring lasers or range cameras are used to observe the workspace.
Depending upon the application we can apply different types of rangesensors including range cameras and 2D and 3D scanning range measuring lasers.
3D Range measuring laser scanners
Below is an example of a 3D range scan of our mobile plastering robot, and a photo of the robot. (Click on the images for larger versions.)
Mobile Robotics has developed a laser range scanner with a wide field of view (more than half the sphere) with high resolution at an affordable price. Typically the scanner measures 10000 ranges per second and a complete scan is finished in 4 to 40 seconds depending upon desired accurace and sampling density. Max range is 15 meters.
1D and 2D Range measuring lasers and range cameras
The plastering robot depicted above uses a planar scanning range measuring laser for localization and mapping. Another Mobile robotics application uses a range measuring laser on a linear actuator in an outdoors application.
For applications with max measurements ranges under one meter (approx.) range cameras has good performance and reliability at a low price.