Development of a laser range finder for three-dimensional map building in rubble

Authors: Kurisu, Masamitsu; Yokokohji, Yasuyoshi; Shiokawa, Yusuke; Samejima, Takayuki

Source: Advanced Robotics, Volume 19, Number 3, 2005 , pp. 273-294(22)

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Abstract:

In order to search and rescue victims in rubble effectively, a three-dimensional (3D) map of the rubble is required. As a part of the national project on rescue robot systems, we are investigating a method for constructing a 3D map of rubble by teleoperated mobile robots. In this paper, we developed a laser range finder for 3D map building in rubble. The developed range finder consists of a ring laser beam module and an omnivison camera. The ring laser beam is generated by using a conical mirror and it is radiated toward the interior wall of the rubble around a mobile robot on which the laser range finder is mounted. The ominivison camera with a hyperbolic mirror can capture the reflected image of the ring laser on the rubble. Based on the triangulation principle, cross-section range data is obtained. Continuing this measurement as the mobile robot moves inside the rubble, a 3D map is obtained. We constructed a geometric model of the laser range finder for error analysis and obtained an optimal dimension of the laser range finder. Based on this analysis, we actually prototyped a range finder. Experimental results show that the actual measurement errors are well matched to the theoretical values. Using the prototyped laser range finder, a 3D map of rubble was actually built with reasonable accuracy.

Keywords: LASER RANGE FINDER; THREE-DIMENSIONAL MAP BUILDING; RESCUE; RUBBLE; OMNIVISION

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1568553053583661

Publication date: 2005-03-01