Design of intelligent mobile robot system based on ultrasonic sensors

This paper discusses the implementation of a binaural sensory pod using an ultrasonic emitter and two receivers on a mobile robot that employs legged-style locomotion. A series of obstacle avoidance behavior programmed onto a micro-controller allows the robot is to successfully navigate a cluttered environment both semi-autonomous and automatically. Inspired by insects and other animals, robots have been designed with physical antennae and tactile sensors to navigate their environment. While insects have compliant, articulated antennae to sense their environment, mechanical antennae for mobile robots are usually less compliant and can possibly impede the robot while it is navigating difficult terrain. The use of non-contact sensors based on biological hearing can alleviate this problem. Inspired by the intramural time difference method of sound location, as used by larger animals, and using a self generated sound pulse, as in the echo location of bats, a binaural sensor pod was created using ultrasonic sensors.