Embedded Line Scan Image Sensors: The Low Cost Alternative for High Speed Imaging

In this paper we propose a low-cost high-speed imaging line scan system. We replace an expensive industrial line scan camera and illumination with a custom-built set-up of cheap off-the-shelf components, yielding a measurement system with comparative quality while costing about 20 times less. We use a low-cost linear (1D) image sensor, cheap optics including a LED-based or LASER-based lighting and an embedded platform to process the images. A step-by-step method to design such a custom high speed imaging system and select proper components is proposed. Simulations allowing to predict the final image quality to be obtained by the set-up has been developed. Finally, we applied our method in a lab, closely representing the real-life cases. Our results shows that our simulations are very accurate and that our low-cost line scan set-up acquired image quality compared to the high-end commercial vision system, for a fraction of the price.Comment: 2015 International Conference on Image Processing Theory, Tools and Applications (IPTA

Development of a low-cost SLAM radar for applications in robotics.

The current state of SLAM radar is quite advanced, featuring various methods of data retrieval. One of the methods used is that of video telemetry to locate “common spots” in the surrounding environment which provide positional information during motion. Another method is that of using high-speed high-resolution laser measurement tools which provide a 360° horizontal field of view and a 90° vertical field of view. These systems create vast amounts of point cloud data and are expensive, ranging from £1,000 upwards. These systems are often unsuitable for small competition robots due to these reasons. The developments discussed in this paper describes various alternative measurement technologies, such as ultrasonic and infra-red and how these can be adapted with the addition of a mechanical drive to provide an almost real-time 360° horizontal field of view and an adjustable vertical field of view

Performance enhancement of a Neato XV-11 laser scanner applied to mobile robot localization: a stochastic modeling approach

Laser scanners are widely used in mobile robotics localization systems but, despite the enormous potential of its use, their high price tag is a major drawback, mainly for hobbyist and educational robotics practitioners that usually have a reduced budget. The Neato XV-11 Laser Scanner is a very low cost alternative, when compared with the current available laser scanners, being this fact the main motivation for its use. The modeling of a hacked Neato XV-11 Laser Scanner allows to provide valuable information that can promote the development of better designs of robot localization systems based on this sensor. This paper presents, as an example, the performance enhancement of a Neato XV-11 Laser Scanner applied to mobile robot self-localization, being used as case study the Perfect Match Algorithm applied to the Robot@Factory competition.This work has been supported by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia with in the Project Scope: UIDB/05757/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Constant-Time Algorithm for Vector Field SLAM using an Exactly Sparse Extended Information Filter

Abstract — Designing a localization system for a low-cost robotic consumer product poses a major challenge. In previous work, we introduced Vector Field SLAM [5], a system for simultaneously estimating robot pose and a vector field induced by stationary signal sources present in the environment. In this paper we show how this method can be realized on a low-cost embedded processing unit by applying the concepts of the Exactly Sparse Extended Information Filter [15]. By restricting the set of active features to the 4 nodes of the current cell, the size of the map becomes linear in the area explored by the robot while the time for updating the state can be held constant under certain approximations. We report results from running our method on an ARM 7 embedded board with 64 kByte RAM controlling a Roomba 510 vacuum cleaner in a standard test environment. NS spot1 X (sensor units) Spot1 X readings Node X1 estimate

A Lightweight and Cost-Effective 3D Omnidirectional Depth Sensor Based on Laser Triangulation

In this paper, we propose a new lightweight and cost-effective 3D omnidirectional depth sensor based on laser triangulation in order to ensure a wide field of view (FOV) while achieving portability and affordability. The proposed sensor is tiny palm-sized and hence easily installed even on small moving objects, which is largely composed of a structured light-based 2D sensor and a rotating motor for creating a full 360 degree horizontal FOV, thus providing a 3D omnidirectional sensing capability. The structured light-based 2D sensor is specially designed to maximize the vertical FOV by employing a fisheye camera and a laser beam passing through two cylindrical lenses for projecting a line onto a surface. From the rotational movement of the 2D sensor due to the mounted motor, its surroundings are scanned by extracting the corresponding 3D omnidirectional depth information from laser triangulation. The actual implementation is carried out to examine the technical feasibility of realizing the proposed 3D omnidirectioanl depth sensor. It turns out that the proposed depth sensor covers over 97% area of its surrounding sphere. It is also observed through experiments that the proposed 3D omnidirectional depth sensor has similar accuracy to that of a Velodyne HDL-32, 32-channel light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, at a range of 5 m to 6 m while providing much wider vertical FOV and higher vertical resolution.11Ysciescopu

THE OPTICAL MEASURING DEVICE FOR THE AUTONOMOUS EXPLORATION AND MAPPING OF UNKNOWN ENVIRONMENTS

This article describes the developed rangefinder measurement device suitable for automatic mapping systems. This device uses a high-quality optical capture sensor and a laser beam. In this article are presented the measurement results and the distance measurement algorithms based on image processing methods. This system is mainly used for distance measurement, but it is suitable for automatic exploration and mapping systems too. The advantage of the developed system is a distance measurement process processing each point on the detected vertical laser beam and the possibility of using low-cost components

RANCANG BANGUN ALAT UKUR JARAK DENGAN MEDIA LASER MENGGUNAKAN METODE PERUBAHAN SUDUT MOTOR SERVO BERBASIS MIKROKONTROLLER

Pada penelitian ini akan dilakukan perancangan alat ukur jarak menggunakan laser dengan menggunakan metode perubahan sudut motor servo. Pada proses perancangan sistem, ada beberapa aspek yang harus diperhatikan seperti karakteristik objek ukur dan penempatan laser. Objek ukur harus memenuhi kireteria yang telah ditetapkan, kireterianya antara lain memiliki bidang permungkaan yang datar, memiliki tingkat reflektifitas di atas 90%, dan berbanding lurus dengan alat ukur. Dalam perancangan sistem, mikrokontroller yang digunakan adalah ATMega8535. Untuk proses simulasi menggunakan aplikasi Proteus 8 Profesional. Variable pengukuran pada penelitian ini adalah besar delay yang diberikan pada motor servo dan jarak objek yang diubah secara berkala. Pada delay 600 ms, tingat presisi alat ukur menjadi yang tertinggi bila dibandingkan dengan delay 200 dan 400 ms. Tingkat presisi pada delay 600 ms sebesar 91 s/d 100%. Selain memiliki tingkat presisi yang tinggi, pada delay 600 ms nilai rata-rata perhitungan yang dihasilkan mendekati nilai aktual objek ukur. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa alat ukur berfungsi dengan baik pada delay 600 ms. Kata kunci: motor servo; delay; laser; presisi