Characterization of Infrared Range-Finder PBS-03JN for 2-D Mapping

This paper presents a characterization study of the HOKUYO PBS-03JN Infrared range-finder and compares it to the characterization of the SICK LMS-200 laser range-finder for use in indoor 2-D mapping. Many parameters that could affect the performance of the sensor including warm-up time, divergence of the detection beam, usable detection range in the azimuth, target surface, color, and size properties, incidence angle at the target, and the mixed pixels problem have been studied. This characterization, quantification of errors, and 3-D confidence in the distance readings of the sensor is vital for practical applications. These characteristics are compared to the counterpart characteristics of the laser range-finder. The PBS-03JN is a cost effective alternative to laser range-finders in indoor environments. The sensor is attractive due to lower power consumption, and its lightweight.