Robotic range sensor with projection of bright ring pattern

摘要

Abstract A new type of optical range sensor is being proposed as a robotic sensor. The range sensor consists of the projection subsystem of an axially symmetrical light sheet and the detection subsystem for monitoring the focussing process of a lens. The projection subsystem produces a bright ring pattern through an objective lens on the surface of an object. Next, the distance from the range sensor to the surface of an object is calculated from the position of the lens. The prototype range sensor is able to measure the distance in the range of 430 to 570 mm with an accuracy of 0.3 mm. As the position of the objective lens is controlled so that the ring pattern projected on the surface of an object becomes a fine spot, the detection subsystem finds the position of the objective lens on which the output of photodiode comes to be maximum.