Near Field Scanning System of Home Walking Robot

Abstract

The paper considers the principles of constructing a machine vision system for a domestic four-legged robot. The machine vision system constructs a grid of distances to the support surface in places where the robot’s legs can be placed. Scanning along the robot’s line of motion is performed using a laser lidar. The proposed system is based on the use of an inexpensive 2D lidar. A model of surface scanning for determining support areas is presented. The influence of scanning parameters and distance measurement accuracy on the accuracy of constructing a height map is analyzed. It is shown that the accuracy of measuring the parameters of horizontal and vertical surfaces depends on their location relative to the robot’s body. Conclusions are made and recommendations are given for improving the accuracy of measurements. The conclusions made allow choosing a laser lidar that is most suitable for the scanning system. Testing on a simulator confirmed the high-quality scanning of the robot’s near zone. The proposed scanning method allows reducing the cost of the control system, reducing the requirements for computing power and increasing the battery life of the domestic robot.