Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!sgiblab!darwin.sura.net!gatech!taco!adhudson
From: adhudson@eos.ncsu.edu (ALAN D HUDSON)
Subject: Laser Range Finding
Message-ID: <1993Feb5.175607.24099@ncsu.edu>
Sender: news@ncsu.edu (USENET News System)
Organization: NCSU Project Eos
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1993 17:56:07 GMT
Lines: 11

Hello, I'm rather new to robotics and have a question which doesn't seem to be in the FAQ:

I am looking to put a range finding system on a robot, and have seen sonar used, but I wasn't pleased with the results.  I would like to try and use a better system..  About 10+ feet with around 6 inch resolution..  better if available, of course.

One idea I had, which I admit I have no real clue as to if it will work is this:

Using a laser diode with a intensity measuring device I would swing the diode and collector around in a 360 degree arc.  The idea is this:  take a background reading on the sensor, pulse the diode and take another reading, the intensity of the return beam should give me distance.  I "know" this will work for IR, but I think it won't give me the range/accuracy I need.  The only problems I see are tese:  there is not enough spread on a laser to measre with a sensor not perfectly aligned to the return beam?

That is the main problem i see...  if anyone has any suggestions on this system, or how "normal" laser range finders work, or even on a solution that will give me the range/accuracy for cheap(<$100)...  thanx


