If anyone has an resoures on building a simple docking using IR sensors could you let me know.
I was thinking of having a simple IR emmitter (At some known modulation) and a couple of respective receivers on the bot (Left and Right). When they're both lined up the docking station is stright ahead....too simplistic?
Thanks
Mark
The Roomba robotic vacuum uses a system with 5 IR emitters on the docking station. Each is aimed a different direction, Center, Right, Left, Far right, and Far left. They all transmit IR on the same carrier wave frequency, but different data is sent to identify which one it is. The IR detector on the Roomba is omni directional, and just detects which beam it is in the path of. However, it can't detect the home base from very far away and must perform a search pattern until it comes within a few feet.
I think simpler system is just an omnidirecitonal IR emitter on the base, then a highly directional IR sensor on the robot, perhaps by putting the detector in a black tube (like some shrink tubing, without shrinking). The robot spins in place until it sees the beacon, and heads straight for it. Of course, it may not see it, and would need to perform a search pattern and try again at another location.
It could even take one reading, then move a known distance and take another reading to determine the change in the angle. If you know two angles and one length, of a triangle, then this is enough information to know the distance to the beacon. When you got closer to the beacon, you might perform another reading to re-target it. Of course, it may not see it, and would need to perform a search pattern and try again at another location.
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