Chapter 21 - Sensors for aerial, automotive, and robotic applications

Abstract

Recent advances in autonomous and robotic systems have stimulated developments of sensors used in these systems for the perception of both external to the system environment and internal system states. Ever-increasing demands on performance of the sensors, frequently contradicting their size, weight, and power (and cost) characteristics, force developers to look for careful sensor payload optimization with multiple trade-offs. This chapter discusses recent developments in the sensor technologies that find application in current autonomous and robotic systems, such as drones of different classes and form-factors, autonomous ground vehicles, and robotic systems. Advanced sensors such as solid-state lidars, compact optical gyroscopes, lightweight mmWave radars, and portable atomic clocks are shown in the chapter along with their key characteristics. Comparative analysis of these characteristics performed for different sensor technologies allows for the sensor (and sensor technology) selection aligned with the critical requirements of an application. Examples of typical applications are given as well. Attention is also given to precise timekeeping in aerial, automotive, and robotic systems, which is becoming increasingly important with the advent of distributed sensing that requires accurate synchronization for fusion and achieving the best performance. A brief overview of future trends in sensor technologies for aerial, automotive, and robotics concludes the chapter.