Abstract
This paper proposes an obstacle detection method using reflective intensity of the Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) in close range for the brush cutter. So far, the authors proposed a brush cutting robot equipped with commercially available brush cutter and verified its autonomous mowing capability. In order to safely operate a brush-cutting robot, stone obstacles on the vegetation around the brush cutter should be detected and avoided. The 3D-LIDAR consisting of a combination of the 2D-LIDAR and tilting mechanism is used to collect the environmental information around the brush cutter. This study attempts to identify stone obstacles on the grass using reflective intensity of the 3D-LIDAR. Correction formula of the LIDAR intensity of the grass is developed for the influence of wetness and ambient light. Outdoor experiments under different weather conditions resulted in successful detection of stone objects in the grass field.
