Methods and systems for obstacle detection using structured light
First Claim
1. A mobile robot, the mobile robot comprising:
- at least one laser light source configured to at least;
project a first laser stripe ahead of the mobile robot, andproject a second laser stripe ahead of the mobile robot,wherein the first laser stripe and the second laser stripe cover an entire profile of the mobile robot;
a visual sensor configured to detect the first laser stripe and the second laser stripe;
an obstacle detection unit configured to detect, from images captured by the visual sensor, an obstacle based at least in part on detection of an intersection of the first laser stripe, or the second laser stripe, or both the first laser stripe and the second laser stripe, with the obstacle; and
a processing unit configured to maintain a two dimensional map of detected obstacles, wherein the visual sensor comprises a single camera utilized for obstacle detection and the at least one laser light source is configured to upwardly project the first laser stripe, and the obstacle detection unit is configured to detect an overhanging obstacle based at least in part on an intersection of the upwardly projected first laser stripe with the overhanging obstacle.
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Abstract
An obstacle detector for a mobile robot while the robot is in motion is disclosed. The detector preferably includes at least one light source configured to project pulsed light in the path of the robot; a visual sensor for capturing a plurality of images of light reflected from the path of the robot; a processing unit configured to extract the reflections from the images; and an obstacle detection unit configured to detect an obstacle in the path of the robot based on the extracted reflections. In the preferred embodiment, the reflections of the projected light are extracted by subtracting pairs of images in which each pair includes a first image captured with the at least one light source on and a second image captured with the at least one light source off, and then combining images of two or more extracted reflections to suppress the background.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A mobile robot, the mobile robot comprising:
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at least one laser light source configured to at least; project a first laser stripe ahead of the mobile robot, and project a second laser stripe ahead of the mobile robot, wherein the first laser stripe and the second laser stripe cover an entire profile of the mobile robot; a visual sensor configured to detect the first laser stripe and the second laser stripe; an obstacle detection unit configured to detect, from images captured by the visual sensor, an obstacle based at least in part on detection of an intersection of the first laser stripe, or the second laser stripe, or both the first laser stripe and the second laser stripe, with the obstacle; and a processing unit configured to maintain a two dimensional map of detected obstacles, wherein the visual sensor comprises a single camera utilized for obstacle detection and the at least one laser light source is configured to upwardly project the first laser stripe, and the obstacle detection unit is configured to detect an overhanging obstacle based at least in part on an intersection of the upwardly projected first laser stripe with the overhanging obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of detecting obstacles in the path of a mobile robot, the method comprising:
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projecting, by a light source affixed to the mobile robot, a first stripe ahead of the mobile robot, and projecting, by the light source affixed to the mobile robot, a second stripe ahead of the mobile robot, wherein the first stripe and the second stripe cover an entire profile of the mobile robot; capturing, by a sensor, one or more images of the first stripe and the second stripe; detecting, by a processing unit, from one or more images captured by the visual sensor, an obstacle based at least in part on detection of an intersection of the first stripe, or the second stripe, or both the first stripe and the second stripe, with the obstacle; and maintaining a map of detected obstacles, wherein the visual sensor comprises a single camera utilized for obstacle detection and the at least one laser light source is configured to upwardly project the first laser stripe, and the obstacle detection unit is configured to detect an overhanging obstacle based at least in part on an intersection of the upwardly projected first laser stripe with the overhanging obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification