To help small aerial robots navigate in the dark and other low-visibility environments, my colleagues and I developed an ultrasound-based perception system inspired by bat echolocation.
Current robots rely heavily on cameras or light detection and ranging, known as lidar, or both. But these sensors fail in visually challenging conditions, such as smoke, fog, dust, snow or complete darkness.
kAmx’> k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D49@=2C]8@@8=6]4@>^4:E2E:@?Dn9=l6?U2>AjFD6ClF8J($(HppppyU2>AjG:6H0@Al=:DE0H@C<DU2>AjD@CE3JlAF352E6Qm2 D4:6?E:7:4 6?8:?66Ck^2m H9@ 56G6=@AD 3:@\:?DA:C65 >:4C@C@3@ED] %@ D@=G6 E9:D 492==6?86[ >J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A62C]HA:]65F^:?56I]9E>=QmC6D62C49 E62>k^2m =@@<65 2E ?2EFC6’D 6IA6CED 2E ?2G:82E:?8 :? A@@C G:D:3:=:EJi 32ED] %96J E9C:G6 :? 52C<[ 52>A 2?5 5FDEJ 42G6D 2?5 42? 56E64E @3DE24=6D 2D E9:? 2D 2 9F>2? 92:C FD:?8 649@=@42E:@? H9:=6 H6:89:?8 2D =:EE=6 2D EH@ A2A6C 4=:AD] %96J 6>:E D@F?5 H2G6D 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?AD]8@G^DF3;64ED^32ED^649@=@42E:@?]9E>Qm=:DE6? E@ H62< 649@6Dk^2m C67=64E65 7C@> @3;64ED]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ 6?23=:?8 E9:D D6?D:?8 @? 26C:2= C@3@ED :D 6IEC6>6=J 492==6?8:?8 3642FD6 AC@A6==6CD 86?6C2E6 2 =@E @7 ?@:D6] xE :D 2 3:E =:<6 ECJ:?8 E@ =:DE6? E@ J@FC 7C:6?5 H9:=6 2 ;6E 6?8:?6 :D E2<:?8 @77 ?6IE E@ J@F]k^Am
kAm%@ @G6C4@>6 E9:D :DDF6[ H6 AC6D6?E EH@ <6J :562D] u:CDE[ 2 A9JD:42= 24@FDE:4 D9:6=5 :?DA:C65 3J 32E’D 62C 42CE:=286 C65F46D AC@A6==6C ?@:D6 2C@F?5 E96 24@FDE:4 D6?D@CD[ H9:49 24E =:<6 E96 C@3@E’D 62CD] $64@?5[ 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A62C]HA:]65F^C6D62C49^D2C2?82]9E>=Qm?6FC2= ?6EH@C< 42==65 $2C2?82k^2m C64@G6CD H62< 649@ D:8?2=D 7C@> G6CJ ?@:DJ >62DFC6>6?ED 3J =62C?:?8 A2EE6C?D @G6C E:>6[ :?DA:C65 3J 9@H 32ED AC@46DD D@F?5]k^Am
kAm%@86E96C[ E96D6 6?23=6 E96 C@3@E E@ 6DE:>2E6 @3DE24=6 =@42E:@?D :? bs 2?5 ?2G:82E6 D276=J FD:?8 >:==:H2EE\=6G6= D6?D:?8 A@H6C]k^Am
k7:8FC6mk:>8 2=ElQ2 D>2== 3@IJ 56G:46 H:E9 =:89ED DFCC@F?565 3J D>2== H9:E6 A2CE:4=6DQ DC4lQ9EEADi^^:>286D]E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^7:=6D^faeaeh^@C:8:?2=^7:=6\a_ae_bad\df\6F5DH`];A8n:I=:3lC3\c]`]_U2>AjBlcdU2>Aj2FE@l7@C>2EU2>AjHlfc_U2>Aj7:El4=:AQ ^mk7:842AE:@?m%96 5C@?6 ?2G:82E6D 2C@F?5 2? @3DE24=6 :? 2 E6DE H:E9 D:>F=2E65 D?@H72==] }:E:? $2?<6Ek^7:842AE:@?mk^7:8FC6m
k9am(9J :E >2EE6CDk^9am
kAm%96D6 EJA6D @7 5C@?6D 2C6 G6CJ FD67F= 7@C D62C49 2?5 C6D4F6[ 6DA64:2==J :? 4@?7:?65[ 5J?2>:4 2?5 52?86C@FD 6?G:C@?>6?ED[ 3642FD6 E96J 2C6 D>2== 2?5 :?6IA6?D:G6] $62C49\2?5\C6D4F6 @A6C2E:@?D @7E6? 92AA6? :? 6?G:C@?>6?ED H96C6 G:D:3:=:EJ :D G6CJ A@@C[ DF49 2D 7@C6DE 7:C6D[ 4@==2AD65 3F:=5:?8D[ 42G6D @C 5FDEJ @FE5@@C 4@?5:E:@?D] x? E96D6 D46?2C:@D[ EC25:E:@?2= D6?D@CD =:<6 42>6C2D 2?5 =:52C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]C@3@ED7@CC@3@E:4:DED]4@>^A6C46AE:@?\:?\D>@<6\5FDE\@C\7@8^Qm@7E6? 364@>6 F?C6=:23=6k^2m]k^Am
kAmq2ED 5@ ?@E C6=J @?=J @? G:D:@? 2?5 :?DE625 FD6 649@=@42E:@? E@ A6C46:G6 E96 H@C=5] &=EC2D@F?5 D6?D:?8 5@6D?’E 56A6?5 @? =:89E:?8 4@?5:E:@?D 2?5 H@C<D :? D>@<6[ 5FDE 2?5 52C<?6DD]k^Am
kAm~FC H@C< D9@HD E92E :E :D A@DD:3=6 E@ 3C:?8 E9:D 42A23:=:EJ E@ 26C:2= C@3@ED 56DA:E6 DEC@?8 @?3@2C5 AC@A6==6C ?@:D6] $@?2C 3@@DE65 3J ?@:D6 D9:6=5:?8 2?5 >249:?6 =62C?:?8 AC@>:D6D E@ 6?23=6 2 ?6H 4=2DD @7 D>2==[ =@H\4@DE C@3@ED E92E 42? @A6C2E6 :? 6?G:C@?>6?ED H96C6 4FCC6?E DJDE6>D 72:=]k^Am
kAm%9:D C6D62C49 42? 6?23=6 9:89=J 7F?4E:@?2=[ 2FE@?@>@FD[ E:?J 26C:2= C@3@ED 7@C 4C:E:42= 9F>2?:E2C:2? 2AA=:42E:@?D[ DF49 2D D62C49 2?5 C6D4F6[ 4@>32E:?8 A@249:?8 2?5 42G6 6IA=@C2E:@?] px\6?23=65 D@?2C ?2G:82E:@? 4@F=5 =625 E@ D276C[ 72DE6C 2?5 >@C6 4@DE\67764E:G6 C@3@ED 7@C E:>6\D6?D:E:G6 @A6C2E:@?D H96C6 9F>2? @C =2C86C 96=:4@AE6C 2446DD :D =:>:E65] %9:D :D 2 DE6A E@H2C5 36:?8 23=6 E@ 56A=@J DH2C>D @7 26C:2= C@3@ED[ >F49 =:<6 8C@FAD @7 32ED[ E@ 6IA=@C6 92K2C5@FD 6?G:C@?>6?ED 2?5 D62C49 7@C DFCG:G@CD]k^Am
kAmqC62<E9C@F89D :? >2E96>2E:42= >@56=:?8[ ?6FC2= ?6EH@C< 56D:8? 2?5 D6?D@C 492C24E6C:K2E:@? H:== 6?23=6 @E96C =@H\A@H6C 2AA=:42E:@?D 7@C E96D6 5C@?6D[ DF49 2D 6?G:C@?>6?E2= >@?:E@C:?8] ~FC H@C< 42? C65F46 A@H6C 3J `[___ E:>6D[ H6:89E 3J `_ E:>6D 2?5 4@DE 3J `__ E:>6D 4@>A2C65 E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]`__f^hfg\b\_b`\a_hbe\h0`eQm4FCC6?E D@=FE:@?Dk^2m]k^Am
k9am(92E @E96C C6D62C49 :D 36:?8 5@?6k^9am
kAm|@DE 26C:2= ?2G:82E:@? DJDE6>D C6=J @? 42>6C2D[ 56AE9 D6?D@CD @C =:52C[ H9:49 568C256 :? =@H G:D:3:=:EJ] #252C H@C<D :? E96D6 4@?5:E:@?D 3FE :D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@:]@C8^`_]d`hc^:DACD\2C49:G6D\){xx\`\ceh\a_`gQmA@H6C\:?E6?D:G6 7@C D>2== 5C@?6Dk^2m] !C:@C H@C< 92D 6IA=@C65 F=EC2D@F?5 D6?D:?8 >2:?=J @? 8C@F?5 C@3@ED[ 3FE 2AA=J:?8 :E E@ 26C:2= C@3@ED 92D 366? 5:77:4F=E 5F6 E@ AC@A6==6C ?@:D6 2?5 H62< D:8?2=D]k^Am
k9am(92E’D ?6IEk^9am
kAm(6 2C6 H@C<:?8 @? :>AC@G:?8 7=J:?8 DA665[ D6?D:?8 C2?86 2?5 DJDE6> D:K6] (6 2C6 2=D@ 6IA=@C:?8 ?6H 3:@\:?DA:C65 56D:8?D 2?5 4@>3:?:?8 F=EC2D@F?5 H:E9 @E96C EJA6D @7 D6?D:?8]k^Am
kAm&=E:>2E6=J[ @FC 8@2= :D E@ 3F:=5 C6=:23=6[ =@H\A@H6C 26C:2= C@3@ED E92E 42? @A6C2E6 C6=:23=J :? 5J?2>:4 6?G:C@?>6?ED 2?5 6?23=6 C62=\H@C=5 56A=@J>6?E :? D62C49 2?5 C6D4F6]k^Am
kAmk6>m%96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^FD^E@A:4D^C6D62C49\3C:67\gbab`Qm#6D62C49 qC:67k^2m :D 2 D9@CE E2<6 @? :?E6C6DE:?8 24256>:4 H@C<]k^6>mk^Am
kAmk6>m%9:D 2CE:4=6 :D C6AF3=:D965 7C@> k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^FDnFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?lC6=2E65\=:?<\_U2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afhagfQm%96 r@?G6CD2E:@?k^2m[ 2 ?@?AC@7:E[ :?56A6?56?E ?6HD @C82?:K2E:@? 3C:?8:?8 J@F 724ED 2?5 ECFDEH@CE9J 2?2=JD:D E@ 96=A J@F >2<6 D6?D6 @7 @FC 4@>A=6I H@C=5] xE H2D HC:EE6? 3Ji k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^AC@7:=6D^?:E:?\D2?<6E\aebc_c_nFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?l3J=:?6\=:?<U2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afhagfQm}:E:? $2?<6Ek^2m[ k6>mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^:?DE:EFE:@?D^H@C46DE6C\A@=JE649?:4\:?DE:EFE6\b`ebnFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?l3J=:?6\=:?<U2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afhagfQm(@C46DE6C !@=JE649?:4 x?DE:EFE6k^2mk^6>mk^6>mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m#625 >@C6ik^DEC@?8mk^Am
kF=mk=:mk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^5C@?6D\A2:C65\H:E9\2:\4@F=5\96=A\D62C49\2?5\C6D4F6\E62>D\7:?5\>:DD:?8\A6CD@?D\72DE6C\afcg`hnFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?lC6=2E65\=:?<_U2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afhagfQmsC@?6D A2:C65 H:E9 px 4@F=5 96=A D62C49‑2?5‑C6D4F6 E62>D 7:?5 >:DD:?8 A6CD@?D 72DE6Ck^2mk^=:mk=:mk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^C6D62C496CD\2C6\4@>3:?:?8\5C@?6D\2?5\2:\E@\>2<6\C6>@G:?8\=2?5\>:?6D\72DE6C\2?5\D276C\afaacgnFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?lC6=2E65\=:?<`U2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afhagfQm#6D62C496CD 2C6 4@>3:?:?8 5C@?6D 2?5 px E@ >2<6 C6>@G:?8 =2?5 >:?6D 72DE6C 2?5 D276Ck^2mk^=:mk=:mk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^H9J\5C@?6D\2?5\2:\42?E\BF:4<=J\7:?5\>:DD:?8\7=@@5\G:4E:>D\J6E\ae`_bdnFE>0D@FC46l{66U2>AjFE>0>65:F>lC6=2E65\=:?<U2>AjFE>042>A2:8?lC6=2E65\=:?<aU2>AjFE>04@?E6?El2CE:4=6\afhagfQm(9J 5C@?6D 2?5 px 42?’E BF:4<=J 7:?5 >:DD:?8 7=@@5 G:4E:>D[ J6Ek^2mk^=:mk^F=m
kA 4=2DDlQ7:?6\AC:?EQmk6>mkDA2?m}:E:? $2?<6E C646:G6D 7F?5:?8 7C@> E96 }2E:@?2= $4:6?46 u@F?52E:@? F?56C r||x ad`ecbh Wk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?D7]8@G^2H2C5D62C49^D9@H\2H2C5np(s0xslad`ecbhQm9EEADi^^HHH]?D7]8@G^2H2C5D62C49^D9@H\2H2C5np(s0xslad`ecbhk^2mX]k^DA2?mk^6>mk^Am
kAmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^4@F?E6C]E964@?G6CD2E:@?]4@>^4@?E6?E^afhagf^4@F?E]8:7n5:DEC:3FE@Cl=66Q DEJ=6lQ96:89Ei`AIjH:5E9i`AIjQ 2=ElQQ ^mk^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.