Specifications

The Enhancement of a Multi-Terrain Mechatron for Autonomous Outdoor Applications
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Figure 4.31 Infrared sensor locations
Figure 4.32 Infrared sensor mounting brackets
The side facing and angled sensors at the front of the mechatron have been mounted
on plastic spacers to bring the sensing beam above the height of the tracks.
The infrared sensors have a very narrow filed of view compared to other ranging
sensors such as ultrasound as indicated by Figure 4.33. Small obstacles can easily
evade detection if they pass between the sensing beams of two adjacent sensors. To
avoid this situation a continuous line of sensors could be installed around the entire
robot increasing the sensing capability however this is expensive. A better solution is
to rotate the sensors to create an effective bumper at the front of the robot as