Osram is expanding its 3D sensing portfolio with a new projector, which will enable the creation of high-resolution maps helping robots avoid collisions with people or obstacles.
The optical solutions provider said its Belago 1.1. Dot Projector combines a VCSEL chip with special optics and a robust package, making it ideally suited for environment sensing via Active Stereo Vision (ASV) in robots and Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs).
“Consumer robots such as robotic vacuum cleaners or lawn mowers, and industrial AGVs and autonomous mobile robots need ‘eyes’ to navigate around their environment,” explains Matthias Gloor, product manager at Osram.
“With our Belago 1.1 Dot Projector, we provide vision to robots by helping construct a high-resolution map of their surroundings and enabling high-quality obstacle detection in a package that is easy to integrate for our customers.”
ASV uses two special infrared cameras to read the pattern that the Dot Projector projects onto a defined field-of-view that is invisible to humans. By comparing the perspectives of the scene from both cameras, depth is calculated, resulting in a high-quality 3D map. If an object is in front of the robot, it is visible on the 3D map and allows the robot to take action, such as stopping or going around the obstacle.
The Belago 1.1 emits light with a wavelength of 940 nanometers and achieves an optical power of up to 750 mW. The company said the robot’s path is reliably detected at a distance of one to three meters to avoid collisions.
Furthermore, the Dot Projector combines the VCSEL chip, micro lens array and package in a single component, thereby reducing the integration effort for system manufacturers. The compact dimensions of the system (4.2 mm x 3.6 mm x 3.3 mm) is designed to allow customers to develop space-saving solutions.
Also, to ensure eye safety there is also a separate safety component integrated, which detects if the optics are broken or removed and immediately switches off the light source.
To evaluate the Belago 1.1 Dot Projector and the 3D performance of an AVS system built within it, Osram also offers a 3D camera evaluation kit. It is designed to help customers with the component and system evaluation. An additional software development kit can be integrated into various environments to build proof of concepts in labs.
