A curved array transducer for autonomous vehicle navigation

Abstract

Airborne sonar is well suited to mobile robot and guided vehicle applications. Conventional sensing systems pose significant limitations on angular resolution, data bandwidth or angular aperture, depending on how the sensors are used. An array transducer has been developed that both enables a consistent narrow beam to be directed over a wide angular range with good incremental resolution, and also provides synthetic aperture focusing over the same wide angular range. This paper reviews the sensor data requirements for autonomous vehicle guidance, and presents the use of the curved array transducer in addressing the limitations posed by current designs.