Abstract
In order to search and rescue the victims in rubble effectively, a 3D map of the rubble is required. As a part of the national project of rescue robot system, we are investigating a method for constructing a 3D map of rubble by teleoperated mobile robots. In previous work, we have developed the second prototype of laser range finder for rubble measurement. The prototype laser range finder consists of a ring laser beam module and two omni-vision cameras. Also, the third prototype, which is more compact than the second one, is newly developed. Our range finder has the features that the omni-directional distance around the range finder can be measured at once and the omni-directional picture image can be captured at the same time.
In this paper, the third prototype laser range finder is described, and an example installation of the range finder into a rescue robot is reported. Taking into consideration of mechanism stowing the range finder into the robot, we mount the third prototype on the snake-like rescue robot "Souryu-IV". Availability of the robot with the range finder is verified by results of experiments constructing 3-D maps of rubble using the robot.