Laser guidance
Laser guidance directs a robotics system to a target position by means of a laser beam. The laser guidance of a robot is accomplished by projecting a laser light, image processing and communication to improve the accuracy of guidance. The key idea is to show goal positions to the robot by laser light projection instead of communicating them numerically. This intuitive interface simplifies directing the robot while the visual feedback improves the positioning accuracy and allows for implicit localization. The guidance system may serve also as a mediator for cooperative multiple robots.[1][2] Examples of proof-of-concept experiments of directing a robot by a laser pointer are shown on video.[3][4] Laser guidance spans areas of robotics, computer vision, user interface, video games, communication and smart home technologies.
Commercial systems[edit]
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. may have been using this technology in robotic vacuum cleaners since 2014.[5]
Google Inc. applied for a patent with USPTO on using visual light or laser beam between devices to represent connections and interactions between them (Appl. No. 13/659,493, Pub. No. 2014/0363168).[6]
However, no patent was granted to Google on this application.