An innovative approach to developing a 3D virtual map creator using an ultrasonic sensor array

Abstract

Humans shifted their focus toward robots when they realized that, with the increased complexity of built environments and the rapid advances in fields such as manufacturing and civil structures, robots could serve human development. This paper investigates the development of a mobile robot that uses ultrasonic sensors to obtain distance readings and utilizes those readings to draw 3D maps of its surroundings. The robot is designed to perform in narrow spaces and in rough terrain environments, such as underground piping structures or underground wiring networks. The wheeled platform is capable of maneuvering on rough surfaces guided by a specially designed obstacle navigation strategy using ultrasonic sensors. The mounting of the 3D mapping sensors is a new and innovative approach that resolves many of the problems encountered in previous proposed designs for 3D ultrasonic mappers. The 3D mapping sensors obtain data to create a 2D map and position localization data to create a 3D form. This paper presents the results obtained through extensive work on developing the vehicle and testing the control and 3D mapping algorithm.