Obstacle recognition method for autonomous robots

A method for operating a robot, comprising:

• capturing, by at least one image sensor disposed on the robot, images of a workspace;
• obtaining, by a processor of the robot, the captured images;
• capturing, by a wheel encoder of the robot, movement data indicative of movement of the robot;
• capturing, by a LIDAR disposed on the robot, LIDAR data as the robot performs work within the workspace, wherein the LIDAR data is indicative of distances from the LIDAR to objects and perimeters immediately surrounding the robot;
• comparing, by the processor of the robot, at least one object from the captured images to objects in an object dictionary;
• identifying, by the processor of the robot, a class to which the at least one object belongs;
• executing, by the robot, a cleaning function and a navigation function, wherein the cleaning function comprises actuating a motor to control at least one of a main brush, a side brush, a fan, and a mop;
• generating, in a first operational session and after finishing an undocking routine, by the processor of the robot, a first iteration of a map of the workspace based on the LIDAR data, wherein the first iteration of the map is a bird-eye's view of at least a portion of the workspace;
• generating, by the processor of the robot, additional iterations of the map based on newly captured LIDAR data and newly captured movement data obtained as the robot performs coverage and traverses into new and undiscovered areas, wherein:
• successive iterations of the map are larger in size due to an addition of newly discovered areas;
• newly captured LIDAR data comprises data corresponding with perimeters and objects that overlap with previously captured LIDAR data and data corresponding with perimeters that were not visible from a previous position of the robot from which the previously captured LIDAR data was obtained;
• and
• the newly captured LIDAR data is integrated into a previous iteration of the map to generate a larger map of the workspace, wherein areas of overlap are discounted them from the larger map;
• identifying, by the processor of the robot, a room in the map based on at least a portion of any of the captured images, the LIDAR data, and the movement data;
• actuating, by the processor of the robot, the robot to drive along a trajectory that follows along a planned path by providing pulses to one or more electric motors of wheels of the robot;
• and
• localizing, by the processor of the robot, the robot within an iteration of the map by estimating a position of the robot based on the movement data, slippage, and sensor errors;
• wherein:
• the robot performs coverage and finds new and undiscovered areas until determining, by the processor, all areas of the workspace are discovered and included in the map based on at least all the newly captured LIDAR data overlapping with the previously captured LIDAR data and the closure of all gaps the map;
• the map is transmitted to an application of a communication device previously paired with the robot;
• and
• the application is configured to display the map on a screen of the communication device.