Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Kuriger, W. L..
Detector, designed for slow-moving vehicle to explore surface of Mars, will automatically divert vehicle from obstacles as small as 0.5 m in its path. Detector comprises injection laser operating in pulse time-delay measurement, or radar, mode. It is capable of scanning area extending from few meters to approximately 30 m.
A short range obstacle detector for surface vehicles is described which utilizes an array of laser diodes. The diodes operate one at a time, with one diode for each adjacent azimuth sector. A vibrating mirror a short distance above the surface provides continuous scanning in elevation for all azimuth sectors. A diode laser is synchronized with the vibrating mirror to enable one diode laser to be fired, by pulses from a clock pulse source, a number of times during each elevation scan cycle. The time for a given pulse of light to be reflected from an obstacle and received is detected as a measure of range to the obstacle.
Injection laser range finder with avalanche photodiode for Mars rover obstacle sensing, discussing range data processing methods
Measuring technique for short term laser beam propagation direction fluctuations, discussing atmospheric turbulence effect on initial modulation phase distribution
Distance measuring method limitations for modulated CW laser determined by laser transmitter receiver in conjunction with retroreflector target fixed position