Methods, systems, and apparatus for multi-sensory stereo vision for robotics

• Main Authors: LaRose, David Arthur, Strother, Daniel Leland, Osterwood, Christopher Charles
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.09.2019
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USINGWAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FORPROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; CALCULATING; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES; CINEMATOGRAPHY; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; DIAGNOSIS; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROGRAPHY; HAND TOOLS; HOLOGRAPHY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION ORRERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; MANIPULATORS; MEASURING; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; SURGERY; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

Embodiments of the present invention include multi-sensory stereo vision sensors suitable for use in robotics, navigation, machine vision, manufacturing, and other applications. In some cases, a sensor includes a stereo camera that produces image data for use in generating disparity maps to determine the positions of objects in the scene and/or the position of the sensor itself. The stereo sensor may include image sensors that are fastened to a unitary frame to prevent undesired drift and a thermal pad that wicks heat away from a processor. The processor may provide an efficient means to directly compute stereo disparity maps onboard the sensor. A sensor can also include a laser rangefinder that provides range data suitable for calibrating the stereo camera and for improving its accuracy in certain environments. In some cases, the laser is coupled to a spindle, which in turn is driven by a geartrain through a slipping clutch.