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Mobile Robot Collision Avoidance
Application
Prevent mobile robots from colliding with objects positioned in any direction or at any height.
Challenge
Mobile robots use safety sensors to detect obstructions—such as people or equipment in their path—and immediately halt forward motion to prevent a collision. However, if an object is not within the sensing path of the robot’s primary safety scanners, collisions may still occur. For example, safety scanners are typically positioned to sense an area of the ground in front of the vehicle, but this equipment remains unprotected from overhanging objects such as raised forklift cargo and racked storage.
Adding multiple safety scanners to a mobile robot surrounds it with a more comprehensive detection area, but this approach increases costs, power consumption, and complexity, while limiting onboard physical space. Furthermore, some 3D sensing solutions have the potential to introduce interference from crosstalk or misfunction in the presence of dust, debris, or ambient light.
Solution: Banner’s K50RB Pro Radar Sensor
Benefits
- The K50RB features a 40 x 30-degree beam pattern, which provides full three-dimensional coverage to protect mobile robots from collisions. A single K50RB can provide a much greater area of coverage than multiple 2D lidar scanners.
- Because of the K50RB’s wide detection angle, fewer sensors are needed to prevent damage to equipment. This advanced radar sensor offers a cost-effective solution for comprehensive protection, its power consumption is low, and it features a more compact form factor than alternative sensing options.
- K50RB sensors can be mounted behind the outer surface of the mobile robot to prevent damage or to create a more seamless appearance.
- Radar is not susceptible to crosstalk interference from other sensing devices (even other radar signals) and functions reliably despite environmental conditions, particles in the air, or variations in temperature, moisture, and ambient light.
- The K50RB Pro features multicolor LEDs that users can customize as needed. For example, green, yellow, and red lights could be chosen to indicate the relative proximity of obstructions.
