The sonar ring: Obstacle detection for a mobile robot

Ultrasonic pulse-echo devices have shown utility for obstacle detection in numerous mobile robot research efforts, as well as in commercial automatic guided vehicles (AGVs). A method for quickly obtaining multiple sonar range readings is presented. Thirty ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a ring and controlled by a computer. The system is predominantly composed of commercially available parts. Hardware specifications and operation details of this system are outlined.