UC San Diego

Robots have the ability to drive with a wide array of freedom, including the freedom to drive past the surface edge, ending in a possible fatal accident. Ultrasonic sensors may be used on robotics with a constant and steady angle of attack relative to the ground. Robots designed as mobile inverted pendulums, such as the MiPs toys, require a method to observe the roaming surface using sensors not directed perpendicularly, or close to it. Cameras, a common addition to robotic hardware, are optical sensors which capture light from all angles. Using image processing techniques, we are able to detect where the edges of the roaming surface exist.