Sensing solution for robots

Robots such as robotic vacuum cleaners or social robots can make our lives more convenient, leaving time for more important things in life. These smart helpers however need to work reliably and efficiently to ensure peace of mind for the end user. This means, they need to navigate effortlessly around objects, detect boundaries of a room and create a paths for productive cleaning. Features such as automatic charging increases users' comfort, since the robotic vacuum cleaner automatically returns to its charging station when the battery gets empty. Moreover, innovative applications such as detecting gases helps the robot to avoid spreading spilled liquids or leftovers on the floor. Finally, detecting smells and generating air quality maps enables indoor air quality measurement, improving people's well-being. All these applications are enabled by Bosch Sensortec sensors and software.

Robots strongly depend on high sensor accuracy for reliable and efficient operation. As for robotic vacuum cleaners, highly accurate sensor data and data processing with advanced navigation algorithms is the basis for numerous robot applications. Bosch Sensortec has developed sensing solutions specifically designed for robots. Bosch MEMS sensors offer excellent vibration robustness and suppression, coming for example from rough terrain and built-in motors, as well as stability to large temperature changes. Additionally, Bosch Sensortec sensors are easy to integrate into the final robot device. By providing documentation, sample code and simplifying PCB soldering, manufacturers can improve their time to market. Finally, another key requirement for efficient robot applications is a flexible and broad feature spectrum. Motion sensors and software from Bosch Sensortec enable different cleaning modes such as boundary and obstacle detection as well as dynamic path planning. Environmental sensors such as gas sensors detect volatice organic compounds (VOCs) and support clean indoor air quality.