Obstacle arrangement detection using multichannel ultrasonic sonar for indoor mobile robots

摘要

In the last few years, mobile robot systems that perform complicated tasks have been studied. To work in complicated environments, the robot has to avoid collisions with obstacles. Therefore the robot needs to detect the arrangement of any surrounding obstacles. We considered a simple distance estimation algorithm using ultrasonic sonar. Since the algorithm was able to estimate distance accurately, we also attempted stereo reception using two ultrasonic microphones. The stereo reception sonar was able to detect the direction of obstacles. In order to make precise measurements, we attempted to use the signal coherence of ultrasonic waves. In order to install a small system into mobile robots and to detect any surrounding obstacles, we designed a multichannel sonar signal processing system using a high-performance embedded microcontroller. This article describes our ideas for the distance estimation algorithm for ultrasonic sonar, and a design for a signal processing system using a high-performance microcontroller.