Laser guidance

Short description: Method of guiding a projectile to a target

Mobile robot guidance by laser beam (sketch)

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.

## Contents

* 1 Commercial systems
* 2 Military use
* 3 See also
* 4 References

## Commercial systems

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. appears to have used this technology in its robotic vacuum cleaners since 2014 and registered the trademark "PointCleaning" (USPTO serial No. 86555014) in March 2015.[5] Following the grant to Samsung of U.S. Patent No. 9,675,229 and its European counterpart, EP 2963515, both patents were challenged by Igor Paromtchik through an ex parte reexamination in the United States and opposition proceedings in Europe. The European patent was revoked in March 2024. The U.S. patent ceased to be in force in June 2025 due to non-payment of maintenance fees, approximately ten years before the end of its full statutory term.[6][7]

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).[8] However, no patent was granted to Google on this application.

## Military use

Laser guidance is used by military to guide a missile or other projectile or vehicle to a target by means of a laser beam, either beam riding guidance or semi-active laser homing (SALH).[9] With this technique, a laser is kept pointed at the target and the laser radiation bounces off the target and is scattered in all directions (this is known as "painting the target", or "laser painting"). The missile, bomb, etc. is launched or dropped somewhere near the target. When it is close enough for some of the reflected laser energy from the target to reach it, a laser seeker detects which direction this energy is coming from and adjusts the projectile trajectory towards the source. While the projectile is in the general area and the laser is kept aimed at the target, the projectile should be guided accurately to the target. Countermeasures to laser guidance are laser detection systems, smoke screen, and anti-laser active protection systems.

## See also

* Guidance system
* Laser rangefinder
* List of laser articles
* List of laser applications
* Semi-active radar homing

## References

1. ↑ Paromtchik, Igor (2006). "Optical Guidance Method for Robots Capable of Vision and Communication" (PDF). Robotics and Autonomous Systems (Elsevier) 54 (6): 461–471. doi:10.1016/j.robot.2006.02.005. https://app.box.com/s/h7mt5efgolt7isfghu71.
2. ↑ "Method and System of Optical Guidance of Mobile Body". U.S. Patent 6,629,028. http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=Paromtchik.INNM.&OS=IN/Paromtchik&RS=IN/Paromtchik. Retrieved 2015-05-03.
3. ↑ "Mobile Robot Guidance by Laser Pointer" (Video). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PgL6Npkmeg.
4. ↑ "Legged Robot Direction by Laser Pointer" (Video). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-aXcIMYt5Q.
5. ↑ "Samsung's Robotic Vacuum Cleaner Chases Laser Pointer". 7 August 2014. http://www.gadgetify.com/samsungs-robotic-vacuum-cleaner.
6. ↑ "Request for Ex Parte Reexamination of U.S. Patent No. 9,675,229, dated June 5, 2025". USPTO Patent Data Portal. United States Patent and Trademark Office. https://data.uspto.gov/patent-file-wrapper/search/details/14690807/documents.
7. ↑ "Decision revoking the European Patent EP 2963515, dated March 6, 2024". EPO Patent Register. European Patent Office. https://register.epo.org/application?number=EP15174995.
8. ↑ Purcher, Jack (14 December 2014). "Google Invents a Smartphone that Could Transfer Data to a Large Smart Wall or Display using a built-in Laser Beam". http://www.patentlymobile.com/2014/12/google-invents-a-smartphone-that-could-transfer-data-to-a-large-smart-wall-or-display-using-a-built-in-laser-beam.html.
9. ↑ "Spot Leading Target Laser Guidance for Engaging Moving Targets". U.S. Patent 8,237,095. http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=8237095.PN.&OS=PN/8237095&RS=PN/8237095. Retrieved 2015-06-17.

* v
* t
* e

Robotics

Main articles|

* Outline
* Glossary
* Index
* History
* Geography
* Hall of Fame
* Ethics
* Laws
* Competitions
* AI competitions

Types|

* Anthropomorphic
* Humanoid
* Android
* Cyborg
* Claytronics
* Companion
* Animatronic
* Audio-Animatronics
* Industrial
* Articulated
* arm
* Domestic
* Educational
* Entertainment
* Juggling
* Military
* Medical
* Service
* Disability
* Agricultural
* Food service
* Retail
* BEAM robotics
* Soft robotics

Classifications|

* Biorobotics
* Unmanned vehicle
* aerial
* ground
* Mobile robot
* Microbotics
* Nanorobotics
* Robotic spacecraft
* Space probe
* Swarm
* Underwater
* remotely-operated

Locomotion|

* Tracks
* Walking
* Hexapod
* Climbing
* Electric unicycle
* Robot navigation

Research|

* Evolutionary
* Kits
* Simulator
* Suite
* Open-source
* Software
* Adaptable
* Developmental
* Paradigms
* Ubiquitous

Related|

* Technological unemployment
* Fictional robots

* Category
* Outline

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser guidance. Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Physics:Laser_guidance&oldid=4335421"
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template