Title
Influence of Environmental Factors on the Accuracy of the Ultrasonic Rangefinder in a Mobile Robotic Technical Vision System
Authors
[ 1 ] Instytut Informatyki, Wydział Informatyki i Telekomunikacji, Politechnika Poznańska | [ P ] employee
Scientific discipline (Law 2.0)
Year of publication
2025
Published in
Article type
scientific article
Publication language
english
Keywords
EN
- ultrasonic speed
- ultrasonic rangefinder
- navigation system
- environmental influence
- distance measurement
- mobile robot
- statistical significance
- artificial neural network
Abstract
EN The accuracy of ultrasonic rangefinders is crucial for mobile robotic navigation systems, yet environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and wind conditions can influence ultrasonic speed in the air. The primary objective is to investigate how environmental factors influence the output signal of an ultrasonic emitter and to develop a method for improving the accuracy of distance measurements in both outdoor and indoor settings. The research employs a combination of theoretical modeling, statistical analysis, and experimental validation. The research employs an ultrasonic rangefinder integrated with environmental sensors (BME280, Bosch Sensortec GmbH, Kusterdingen, Germany) and wind sensors (WMT700, WINDCAP®, Vaisala Oyj, Vantaa, Finland) to account for environmental influences. Experimental studies were conducted using a prototype ultrasonic rangefinder, and statistical analysis (Student’s t-test) was performed on collected data. The results of estimation by Student’s t-test for 256 measurements demonstrate the maximum effect of air temperature and the minimum effect of relative air humidity on a piezoelectric emitter output signal both outdoors and indoors. In addition, wind parameters affect the rangefinder’s operation. The maximum range of obstacle detection depends on the reflection coefficient of the material that covers the obstacle. The results align with theoretical expectations for highly reflective surfaces. A cascade-forward artificial neural network model was developed to refine distance estimations. This study demonstrates the importance of considering environmental factors in ultrasonic rangefinder systems for mobile robots. By integrating environmental sensors and using statistical analysis, the accuracy of distance measurements can be significantly improved. The results contribute to the development of more reliable navigation systems for mobile robots operating in diverse environments.
Date of online publication
30.03.2025
Pages (from - to)
1393-1 - 1393-32
Comments
Article Number: 1393
License type
CC BY (attribution alone)
Open Access Mode
open journal
Open Access Text Version
final published version
Date of Open Access to the publication
at the time of publication
Ministry points / journal
100
Impact Factor
2,6 [List 2023]
System created by Poznań University of Technology
and Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center
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