Construction and performance test of a novel polarization sensor for navigation

Algorithm and Accuracy Evaluation of Autonomous Bionic Positioning Method based on Skylight Polarization

“…The activity of the polarization-sensitive photoreceptor is a sinusoidal function of e-vector orientation with the maxima and minima separated by 90º, and receive antagonistic input from the polarization-sensitive channels with orthogonal evector tuning orientations just like depicted in Figure 2. The crossed-analyzer configuration has the advantage that it enhances e-vector contrast sensitivity and it makes the e-vector response insensitive to fluctuations of light intensity [21]. Polarization in the sky occurs when the sunlight is scattered by atmosphere molecules [9].…”

“…Polarization in the sky occurs when the sunlight is scattered by atmosphere molecules [9]. The theoretical patterns of the degree and angle of the polarized light in the sky are calculated by the single-scattering Rayleigh model [21]. According to the singlescattering Rayleigh model, the direction of polarization (e-vector direction) is perpendicular to the plane of scattering determined by the observer, the celestial point observed and the sun in Figure 3.…”

Application of a novel polarization sensor to mobile robot navigation

“…There are three pairs of analyzers on the sensor, so we can gain three channel signals which are 0 0 , 60 0 , and 120 0 with respect to the 0 degree reference of the sensor. Mimicking the desert ant, each pair of the direction analyzer is made up of two polarized light sensors whose polarizing axis cross each other, and following the polarized light sensors, there is a log-ratio amplifier which can make the signal available [10] [13] .…”

“…Therefore, inspired by Cataglyphis's navigation mechanism, we developed a novel navigation sensor. The sensor performed well in static test experiments [10]. In this paper, the novel sensor is employed to help mobile robot navigation where the sensor is used to detect the orientation information while the distance information is also gained by wheel encoders.…”

A novel insect-inspired optical compass sensor for a hexapod walking robot

“…Chu et al developed a celestial compass based on the one integrated in the Sahabot projects, using the simultaneous model [17], [18]. The compass was embedded onto a wheeled robot using a fuzzy logic controller to follow a preprogrammed trajectory.…”