An Alternative Method to Simulate Three-Dimensional Point Scan Sensors aboard Moving Vehicle

Abstract

This paper introduces an alternative simulation algorithm of a Laser Measurement System LMS sensor. The sensor is mounted on an autonomous ship sailing. The ship identifies the environment (surrounding fixed or moving obstacles) for safe navigation through the sensor. The simulation is done with six degree of freedom. The proposed algorithm was applied by a vb.net 2010 program - written as part of the research- to do the simulation of the proposed model to reduce calculation overhead and to allow creation of embedded system. The simulation algorithm was verified by in field sea trials on an 11m long yacht with two 250 hp outboard engines. Sick 218-laser measurement system was used. The results showed that ship relatively high (roll, pitch) motion dynamics generates false data. It produces a large number of fake points (sea in case of unmanned surface vehicle or ground surface in case of robot moving on ground), which greatlyoverloads data processing system and in the same time reduces the target-detected points. This leads to reduction of the capability of detection. This paper suggests a number of solutions to reduce this effect were suggested in this paper. This paper is a step toward building an autonomous vehicle that can move in complex environment using a Point Scan Sensor as main sensor.