A compact range image sensor suitable for robots

This paper discusses a range image sensor using a multi-spot laser projector. In many situations, it is inevitable for robots to behave in three-dimensional (3D) environment for various tasks and range images are important sensor information. The sensor in this paper is thought to be suitable to acquire range images for many robotic applications. Characteristics of the sensor are discussed as its principle, its measurement range and precision. Rotation of the CCD camera is presented to improve the sensor's efficiency. A prototype of the sensor is constructed using a commercial laser projector, and its efficiency is evaluated by experiments. Furthermore, a novel method for detecting planar regions is proposed as an application of this sensor. Relative disparity map is introduced and proved to be effective for detecting planar regions.