Scientists and robotics specialists have long looked to nature for inspiration to develop new functions for machines. In this case, researchers at the University of Toronto were inspired by bats and other animals that rely on echolocation to devise a method that would give small robots the ability to navigate themselves—one that doesn’t need expensive hardware or components too large or too large. heavy for tiny machines. In fact, according to pop sciencethe team only used the integrated audio hardware of a interactive disk robot and built an audio extension rig using a cheap microphone and speakers for a small flying drone that fits in the palm of your hand.
The system works just like bat echolocation. It was designed to emit sounds via frequencies, which are then picked up by a robot’s microphone as they bounce off walls. An algorithm the team created then goes to work analyzing the sound waves and creating a map with the dimensions of the room.
In the researchers’ article published in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, said that “existing algorithms for active echolocation are less developed and often depend on hardware requirements that are beyond the reach of small robots.” The researchers also said that their “method is model-based, runs in real time, and does not require calibration or prior training.” His solution could give small machines the ability to send themselves on search-and-rescue missions or to previously unknown places that larger robots couldn’t reach. And since the system only needs built-in audio equipment or inexpensive add-on hardware, it has a wide range of potential applications.
The researchers discovered during their tests that their technique is still not as accurate as systems that use larger, more expensive hardware, such as GPS sensors or cameras. However, they hope to improve its accuracy in future versions and eliminate the need for the system to generate sounds. Instead, they want their system to be able to echolocate using the sounds the drone itself makes, such as its own propellers spinning.
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