By Majeed Ahmad, contributing writer
The new 3D ultrasonic sensor from Toposens provides reliable object detection and situational awareness for a wide range of autonomous systems like battery-powered robots, automated parking, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).
As compared to common ultrasonic sensors, which usually measure the distance only to the closest reflecting surface, TS3 sensors achieve a wide field of view of up to 160° and provide simultaneous 3D measurements for multiple objects within the scanning area. And, unlike the existing optical sensing systems, TS3 sensors perform independently of ambient light conditions and are even capable of detecting mirroring and transparent surfaces.
Toposens claims to have combined carefully selected hardware components with its proprietary signal-processing algorithms. The core technology in the TS3 ultrasonic sensor is based on the company’s SoundVision1 chip, which allows the sensor to reliably map an environment with minimal processing power. The sensor also enables the autonomous devices to localize themselves in predefined maps as per path-planning algorithms.
The TS3 embedded sensing system sends out ultrasound waves in a frequency range that is inaudible to humans. Subsequently, an array of microphones records the echoes from all objects in the sensor’s vicinity and computes their location in a 3D space. The use cases include home-cleaning robots as well as delivery and service robots. The TS3 offers a detection range of up to 5 meters and a scan rate of about 28 Hz.
The TS3 can be purchased at the Toposens store . Development kits, prototyping services, and tech support are also available on request. The company offers a toolkit for the robotics operating system (ROS) middleware to make the sensor easy to integrate into pre-existing systems. Advanced decision-making algorithms and complimentary tutorial stack are under development.
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