Then N O W

a n d
ROBOT SENSORS
b y T o m C a r r o l l

S ensors are a very critical part of any

robot, whether autonomous or teleop-
erated. Sensors are the robot’s contact
few of the industrial quality sensor
types manufactured by SICK, a compa-
ny who supplied many of the sensors
tal’s surface, thus, a succession of
temperature changes in the crystal’s
charge status. Open up a typical outdoor
with the outside world or its own inner used in DARPA’s Grand Challenge. security light fixture and you’ll find a PIR
workings. There was a time when There are many similar companies sensor like in Figure 5 — the heart of the
‘sensors’ for an experimenter’s robot producing sensors for use on robots. ‘warm body’ detector.
were just a few whiskers connected to To detect a non-moving warm
microswitches to sense walls and such. IR Sensors image, an image ‘chopper’ with
When the robot banged into a wall or wide teeth like a gear can be used to
obstacle, the switches were tripped and I’ll start with IR sensors as they are interrupt the image and cause the
its simple logic steered it in another direc- among the most popular for experimen- crystal to detect a series of changes in
tion. I mentioned such a crude robot that tal robots. Infrared sensors are usually charge status, just like the Fresnel lens
I built years ago in last month’s column. divided into two basic types: the passive
Certainly some early machines used or PIR sensors that emit no IR radiation Figure 1. Color sensors.
photo tube, selenium, or cadmium sulfide and the active types that emit an IR
cells to detect light sources and react beam that is again detected by reflec-
accordingly, but sensors for the most part tion. We all have used the PIR types to
were some sort of bumpers or whiskers detect the presence of a human outside
to detect tangible objects and barriers. our homes and have it turn on an
Those were the days before outside light for a specified number of
microcontrollers were available that minutes. Since hundreds of millions are
could make sense of a suite of sophisti- sold each year for security purposes, the
cated sensors that we have available prices are quite low. The PIR sensor uses Figure 2. Distance sensors.
today. A typical robot emerging from the a crystal of lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), a
workshops of SERVO’s readers might compound that possesses unique
have upwards of 100 sensors to guide it pyroelectric properties in that it can
about its daily activities. Sensors can be sense the temperature range of a human
used to sense the robot’s environment or being’s body. The crystal does not detect
its own internal parameters. These might the actual temperature but a change in
include active and passive IR sensors; temperature. It does this by seeing a
sound and voice sensors; ultrasonic range series of images focused upon the crystal
sensors, positional encoders on arm by a row of
joints, head and wheels; compasses, Fresnel lenses as Figure 3. Figure 4. Inductive, magnetic,
navigational and GPS sensors; active and a person (or Photoelectric sensors. and capacitive sensors.
passive light and laser sensors; a number animal) crosses
of bumper switches; and sensors to the viewing
detect acceleration, turning, tilt, odor path. This cross-
detection, magnetic fields, ionizing radia- ing movement
tion, temperature, tactile, force, torque, causes a series
RF, UV, video, and numerous other types. of images to
Figures 1 through 4 illustrate just a cross the crys-
SERVO 07.2007 79
 Positional (but what a clever idea! - Ed.)
Much better electronic compasses
Encoders are available today for the experimenter.
Figure 5. PIR Positional encoders Magnetometer and fluxgate compasses
sensor. are probably the began to be available to the experi-
second most popular menter in the ‘80s and first saw uses in
sensor on a robot. Most experimental consumer automobile compasses. These
robots do not have arms and do not devices made autonomous navigation
use positional encoders to determine possible for the first computer-controlled
the positions of an arm’s different machines. However, it was the
joints. They do use shaft encoders on inexpensive compass modules made by
the wheels or motor shafts to Devantech, Parallax, and others that
determine the number of revolutions of made interfacing compasses to micro-
Figure 6. Parallax Hitachi compass. the wheels and thus, the distance controllers so easy. As Parallax states:
traveled by the wheels. “This compass module made exclusively
array with a moving warm object. These encoders can use electrical by Parallax is a dual-axis magnetic field
Check this technology out on Google; contacts, magnetic Hall-effect detectors, sensor built around the Hitachi HM55B
it’s quite interesting. Passive IR sensors or the more popular optical path broken IC. Parallax has made this compass IC
can also be used for two-way control by rotating teeth or opaque and clear accessible by providing Hitachi’s surface
and communications from a laptop graphics etched on a wheel. Absolute mount sensor chip with a 3V onboard
computer or a hand-held remote encoders output a binary word for each voltage regulator and resistor protection,
control. They actually become active incremental position and are complex and all in a 0.3” wide six pin DIP module. The
when they send a signal back to a expensive. Incremental encoders provide Hitachi HM55B compass module is
computer or another robot. a pulse for each increment of shaft compatible with the BASIC Stamp’s 5V
The active IR sensors generally use movement. The use of two optical supply and signal levels. Acquiring
an IR LED emitting an invisible beam channels enable the determination of the measurements from the module is made
that is, in turn, picked up as a reflected direction of rotation. Again, Google these easy with a synchronous serial interface,
spot on a wall or object by a photo unique devices for detailed information. and even easier with the BASIC Stamp 2
transistor. This same technology can be The use of potentiometric commands SHIFTIN and SHIFTOUT.” (See
used as a range finder by having a encoders is popular for the model Figure 6.) I’ve used this one as it is quite
focused beam emitted from the side or aircraft servos (before hacking) and small and easily placed in small robots.
front of the robot at an angle and are used for 180° or less rotation. Multi- Devantech uses a magnetic field sen-
another series of IR detectors mounted turn pots, partial turn pots, linear pots, sor as the core of their device and states
behind a lens pointing straight out. The and even trim pots can be used as that “This compass module has been
further away the sensed object, the feedback positional sensors. A 25 turn specifically designed for use in robots as
greater change in detected angle by trim pot can be attached to a 25 turn an aid to navigation. The aim was to
the detector array. You can try this out leadscrew and hacked model airplane produce a unique number to represent
with a laser pointer held at an angle as servo and be used as the feedback device the direction the robot is facing. The
you close in on a wall. If the laser is for a fairly powerful linear actuator. compass uses the Philips KMZ51 magnet-
pointing to the right at, say, 45 ic field sensor, which is sensitive enough
degrees, the spot will move to the left Compasses and to detect the Earth’s magnetic field. The
as you get closer to the wall. Navigation Sensors output from two of them mounted at
Lasers are particularly adaptable to right angles to each other is used to
robot ranging and object detection. The I tried to use a standard Boy Scout compute the direction of the horizontal
very inexpensive diode lasers available as type of compass in one of my early component of the Earth’s magnetic
pointers and power tool line generators robots to determine direction. It was field.” (See Figure 7.) Both of these
make great robot add-ons. I have seen one of those liquid filled types that devices are available from many of the
very cheap (under $5) builders levels dampened the moving disk that con- advertisers in SERVO and Nuts & Volts.
with a built-in laser with a line generat- tained the tiny magnet and the north
ing lens at Harbor Freight Tools. This arrow. I pulled it apart so many times to Ultrasonic Range
straight line projected onto an object place reflective stickers on the disk that Sensors
and observed from above the laser can it always leaked and the disk seemed to
determine the shape of the object by never point north as it was overloaded Back in the ‘80s, Polaroid devel-
some fairly simple edge detection by stickers that eventually floated off oped an automatic focusing camera
software and a cheap camera. Lasers the surface. It was so sluggish and my that used an ultrasonic range sensor
also generate a collimated beam that crude CdS and flashlight bulb detector (transducer) to focus the camera’s lens
does not require a lens assembly to array didn’t work very well. Needless to on an object, usually a person. I
produce a small spot of light. say, I soon scrapped this robot compass bought one, not to take the fairly
80 SERVO 07.2007
expensive instant pictures, but to hack tear up, but toy
it. After getting into it a bit, I decided manufac turers
to not completely ruin it so I ended up have come up
using it as a camera. It piqued the with some of the
interest of other experimenters also most unique and
who soon saw many uses for the complex things
technology and Polaroid was quick to for just a few
serve this unique market. They began dollars. Such is Figure 7.
Devantech
marketing an experimenter’s kit that the case with compass module.
contained two of the electrostatic the Zig Zag Zog
transducers, an electronics board that UFO Saucer featured on the front cover
was developed for the camera with a of the “Sensors ... in Toy Design” sup- Figure 8. Hacked Polaroid camera sonar.
separate LED distance readout, and plement of Design News (see Figure 9).
several flat 6V battery packs. I was Designed for toddlers, I know that 10 is a chart of some of its sensors.
fortunate to be given two of the kits by this $30 toy will be purchased, It may look like a cute toy, but it is
Polaroid to experiment with. (Actually I disassembled, and hacked by any anything but.
was accidentally given four, but that’s number of adult robot experimenters
another story!) before spring is over. The objective of Various Other Sensors
The transducers and drivers the toy is for the little alien to try to for Robots
required a high current pulse, too high avoid being captured by a toddler
for AA cells, so Polaroid also developed utilizing three IR sensors to detect There are hundreds — if not
a higher current flat battery pack that obstacles in its path and two more IR thousands — of types of sensors
was behind each film pack. These sensors in its head to detect the kid made today to sense virtually any type
range finders found their way into trying to bop it there. If it is caught, the of phenomenon you can think of.
almost every robot that was marketed toy operates at successively higher Besides some of the ones that I delved
in the ‘80s. The October ‘00 issue of speeds to avoid capture. into, one type that I’ve used on several
the Seattle Robotics Society’s Encoder occasions is the Figaro gas sensor. Back
featured an article by Dennis Clark NEC’s PaPeRo in the early ‘70s when I first heard of it,
entitled “SONAR as I Have Done it” on Personal Robot the Figaro gas sensor was used to
the hacking of a Polaroid camera for detect — you guessed it — gas vapors.
the sonar module and transducer. The large Japanese company, The company has evolved it line of
Figure 8 shows the uniquely NEC, recently brought a personal sensors to detect virtually all types of
shaped circuit board in the camera and robot to the market — the R-100 called anything that can be sensed as a vapor.
the transducer on the table. A bit of a PaPeRo through its Personal Robot The sensing surface is made of sintered
warning if you ever start playing with Research Center. There is no mistaking metal oxides of various ratios and
one of these — there’s a pretty high that this machine is of Japanese origin metals according to the type of gas to
voltage, like 300 VDC within the as it’s a bit too cute for most adults but be sensed.
module that will certainly wake you up the technology is amazing, as is the The surface’s conductivity changes
if you touch the wrong areas. I have case with most Japanese robots. Just according to concentration of the gas
been awakened a few times in the as with Sony’s Aibo — rest its soul — when reducing gases are absorbed on
past. Newer units by other manufactur- this robot has all types of sensors the sensor’s surface. These sensors can
ers use piezoelectric transducers that strewn about its body to assist in its detect alcohol in one’s breath,
are a bit smaller. interaction with humans. Voice and propane, HVAC air, gasoline vapor,
video image (people) recognition are natural gas, and even cooking smells.
Sensors for Toys among its most
noteworthy. Figure Figure 10. PaPeRo sensors.
I have taken Design
News Magazine for many Figure 9. Zig Zag Zog UFO saucer.
years, an excellent source
of mechatronics ideas
for engineers, and the
April 30th edition had a
supplement highlighting
sensors for toy design. We
sometimes dismiss toys
as low-cost, low-quality
products just for kids to
play with and eventually
SERVO 07.2007 81
 temperature. Atmospheric pressure If you want to know more about
and other weather-related phenome- the hundreds of types of sensors
na can be determined from home available on the market today, visit the
weather station components. Smoke Internet and Google through millions of
detectors are very cheap and great sites. A book I highly recommend is
add-ons for a home security robot. H.R, ‘Bart’ Everett’s Sensors for Mobile
Accelerometers and gyro systems are Robots — Theory and Applications. This
available from SERVO advertisers and 1995 book still has a great amount of
Figure 11. Figaro gas sensors. model helicopter suppliers. Cheap information that is applicable for
GPS receivers abound and are great today’s experimental machines and is
Figure 11 shows a few of the gas for longer-range outdoor robots. written by one of the world’s most
sensors available today. Radiation detectors can be used for respected robot designers and builders.
Temperature is easily determined high security robots. There is no limit Bart has built a series of robots that are
by a simple thermistor, a resistor of what type of sensor you can place second to none, especially when it
that changes resistance according to on a robot. comes to sensor technology. SV

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82 SERVO 07.2007