Characterization of Hokuyo UTM-30LX Laser Range Finder for an Autonomous Mobile Robot

One of the most common problems of autonomous mobile robots is object avoidance in a dynamically changing environment. The effectiveness of algorithms responsible for trajectory planing is largely dependent on the correct sensory input. It is necessary to equip a mobile robot with the proper sensors to allow a correct functioning in unknown terrain. With the high degree of complexity standard point distance sensors are insufficient for high speed movement. The recent development of compact laser range finders allowed the minimization of robot dimensions. Hokuyo UTM-30LX is an example of such a sensor. For a precise understanding of the measurements, a characterization of a sensor is needed. This paper is summarizes the parameters of Hokuyo UTM-30LX laser range finder, in particular: drift effect, influence of target distance, surface brightness, color and material, and the sensor orientation. The parameters measured prove that the Hokuyo UTM-30LX can be used in a mobile robot system for complex object detection and avoidance.