Pool cleaner with laser range finder system and method

An autonomous robotic pool cleaner for an underwater environment, the pool cleaner comprising:

• a range finder configured to emit first and second lines and detect a projection of the first and second lines on a feature of the environment;
• a camera configured to capture images of a floor surface of the environment under the pool cleaner;
• a controller in communication with the range finder and the camera, the controller configured to:
• determine a physical distance between the range finder and the feature based on the detected projection of the first and second lines on the feature,
• determine visual odometry data based on the captured images,
• map the environment based on the physical distance and the visual odometry data, and
• track a position of the pool cleaner within the environment.

A method of determining a distance to an object in an underwater environment using a dual-plane laser range finder, the method comprising the steps of:

• projecting a first line onto the object;
• projecting a second line onto the object parallel to the first line;
• capturing an image of the projected first line and the projected second line on the object;
• segmenting the image into separate image segments;
• for each image segment:
• extracting color planes in the image segment to obtain a grayscale image segment;
• detecting potential line edges in the grayscale image segment;
• extracting line segments using the potential line edges;
• grouping the line segments to obtain the first projected line and the second projected line in the grayscale image segment;
• calculating a pixel distance between the first projected line and the second projected line in the grayscale image segment;
• and
• calculating the distance to the object based on the pixel distance.