Piezo-polymer based sonar for mobile robots

Abstract

In order to equip mobile robots for the measurement of distances in unstructured environments, we employed wide-band ultrasound transducers, based on ferroelectric polymer technology, to simulate the function of bio-sonar, according to strategies observed in the flight of bats. A complete electronic system was appropriately designed, which proved to be more efficient than the first prototype, having reduced dimensions, weight, power consumption and boasting easy assembly onto mobile robots. Different techniques for distance measurement are discussed and compared with results reported in literature, emphasizing the advantages of the polymer transducer in terms of versatility, efficiency, and work modalities. The Web Publishing Tool implemented the remote control features in LabView to manage and modify the signal parameters during testing and acquire data.