Detection of Chemical Trail on the Floor by Mobile Robot: : Using Fans to Enhance Chemical Reception at Gas Sensors

Abstract

We report a mobile robot that can effectively follow a chemical trail laid on the floor. Three metal-oxide gas sensors are mounted on the robot to detect its position with respect to the chemical trail, and four fans are aligned around each gas sensor. The effects of the airflows generated by the fans are two-fold. First, the airflows that impinge on the ground help bring the chemical vapor from a chemical trail to the gas sensors. Second, they serve as air curtains and prevent the gas sensors from responding to chemical vapor straying off to the side from the trail.