Haushaltsroboter

Household robots, primarily vacuum robots or robotic mowers, have become popular in recent years. These robots are a consumer version of the industrial mobile robots, typically operating at lower speeds and optimized for cost. The mobile platform is extended by a dedicated function, such as vacuum cleaning. Due to lower weights and slower speeds, the scanned area for environment sensing is narrower compared to professional systems. Often a combination of stereovision or structured light imaging for front view is paired with time-of-flight sensor modules for obstacle sensing at the sides or floor-oriented for cliff detection such as stairs. Due to the smaller robot size, even small objects like cell phone charging cables could turn into a blocking obstacle which requires reliable detection.  
 
An innovative concept is floor scanning with spectral sensors: They not only make it possible to distinguish between different floor types (carpet, parquet, etc.) but can also measure different moisture levels if wet cleaning is desired. According to the observed floor type and floor state the sensor could trigger different care actions: brushing or vacuum cleaning for carpets and wiping for parquet.   
 
ams OSRAM’s optical and spectral technology is at the forefront of these challenges, covering all bases, from small details like robust sunlight immunity to big-picture items like absolute precision and low power consumption enabling extended runtimes on small batteries. Key sensor challenges are resolution, precision, range and power consumption.