Mobile Robots has announced a new high-speed stereo vision system for robots. It's called the MobileRanger StereoVision System The heavy duty case is designed for indoor or outdoor use and even allows the system work in the rain. An FPGA board is included with the system to provide 752x480 images processed at 30 to 60 fps. An optional pan and tilt mount is also available. No price was specified but you can assume this one is going to be a bit too pricey for the average hobby robot. The full specifications can be found on the product page. Read on the full text of the press release.

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MOBILERANGER OUTDOORS STEREO VISION BRINGS AUTONOMOUS ROBOTICS CLOSER TO REALITY

Rugged 3D range-finding sensor improves autonomous robots’ operation, even in rain! Amherst, NH, November 3, 2008 – MobileRobots Inc announces its new MobileRanger Outdoors, a moderately priced stereo vision sensor ready for rough-duty exterior use in varied terrain and under moderately severe weather conditions. MobileRanger Outdoors means that roboticists can begin designing commercial robots that can safely operate outdoors for security, agricultural, landscaping, delivery, military and other applications.

Navigation sensors for robots -- such as lasers, radar, flash lidar, high-definition lidar and stereovision cameras -- often are extremely expensive and perform poorly under the harsh terrain, lighting, precipitation and abrasion conditions met outdoors. Two- dimensional sensors such as planar range-finding lasers work well with robots indoors. However, in less predictable outdoor spaces, robots require 3D sensing to handle organic obstacles and cliffs. Most 3D sensors, such as nodding lasers and high- definition and flash lidar, are heavy, power-hungry and costly, limiting their applicability. Lightweight, low-draw MobileRanger Outdoors, listed at only $4,395, greatly expands the options for affordable field, yard and street robots.

MobileRobots Inc has just begun to expand into the robotic sensor industry. Says William Kennedy, CTO of MobileRobots Inc, “We buy when possible; build when necessary. Because we’re pushing the limits of autonomous robotics, we’re finding we need sensors and accessories that don’t exist yet. When that happens, we have to create them.”

New MobileRanger Outdoors’ deploys premium automotive quality lenses, pre- calibrated and solidly embedded with excellent glare- and scratch-resistance with accurate measurement even in driving rain. The handsome, precision-aluminum case protects hardened electronics under moderately severe conditions such as driving rain.

The FPGA board included with MobileRanger stereo vision offers excellent speed and resolution, with 30 fps, programmable to 60 fps, with 752 X 480 pixels, measuring 2- billion-pixel-disparities-per-second. With progressive scan, global shutter, and low-noise imaging technology, MobileRanger helps robot developers to better detect, avoid, identify, track, and visualize objects outdoors.

Media of the improved MobileRanger Outdoors stereo vision system are available at: Video: Examples from MobileRobots Outdoors in action, Hi-res .jpg image: www.MobileRobots.com/OutdoorStereocam.jpg

About MobileRobots Inc Founded in 1995, MobileRobots Inc is a global leader in the design and manufacture of autonomous mobile bases, sensing systems, and software “Making YOUR Job Easier” for use by robot application developers, OEMs and researchers. Thousands of MobileRobots’ platforms are used on six continents by leading organizations around the world. The company’s 25,000 sq ft research, development and assembly operations are based at 19 Columbia Drive Amherst, NH 03458 USA; +1-603-881-7960; http://www.MobileRobots.com, sales@mobilerobots.com.