An active light sensory system for 3D mapping of unknown cluttered environments

This paper presents a major effort in developing a compact real-time 3D sensory system for robotic search and rescue operations in unknown cluttered environments. Namely, we present the design of a unique structured light based sensory system for 3D mapping of rubble filled environments. The sensory system can provides both 2D texture and 3D sensory information in real-time at 30 fps. The real-time capabilities of the proposed sensor can be a great asset in time sensitive urban search and rescue (USAR) missions. Preliminary experimental results show the effectiveness of the system in providing accurate sensory information for 3D mapping of a USAR-like environment.