A Scanning Laser Rangefinder for a Robotic Vehicle

A scanning Laser Rangefinder (LRF) which operates in conjunction with a minicomputer as part of a robotic vehicle is described. The description includes both hardware and software. Also included is a discussion of our functional requirements relative to the state-of-the-art; a detailing of the instrument and its performance; a summary of the robot system in which the LRF functions; the software organization, interfaces, and description; and some applications to which the LRF has been put