Best sensor

1

Hi team,
I wanted to ask for your opinion on a few topics, one of which regarding the real sense sensors and which would be best for the following application.
I have a ground vehicle with Encoder feedback on the drive wheels and I also want to use a sensor to do a point cloud like seen with intel real sense.

There are several systems (indoor/outdoor) that I’m building and I intend to use following project-specific hardware:

  1. Donkey car (ArduRover ROS build)
  • raspberry pi 4b with camera running Ubuntu 20.04 and using ROS noetic.
  • Pixhawk PX4, with GPS and compass (may be exchanged for a GPS RTK set-up later on)
  • DJI FPV camera/air-unit for RC controlled SLAM in HD
  • TBS Crossfire nano diversity RX
  • a) ESC or motor driver
  • b) Servo Driver PCA 9685
    Not sure how Raspberry pi and TBS Crossfire RC link both can take over control of the vehicle at different times (not simultaneously)
  • IMU (not specified yet)
  1. Indoor AMR (SBC based ROS system)
  • DYNAMIXEL XM430-W350-T Motors
  • BMS charge circuit for onboard battery pack (no specific yet)

Across multiple platform the following parts will be exchanged to save cost:

  • Depth camera Intel realsense D435, D455 or T265
  • Slamtec RPLIDAR A1

Please comment on the following:

  • hardware selection, feedback on performance. Any issues using raspberry pi? Any better alternatives? Preferably SBCs, small scale dedicated devices. I know I can always use my laptop, but it should be an embedded device.

  • Which of the Intel realsense would be the better fit. I do like the global shutter options due to sync / shadow issues with rolling shutter based sensors. Therefore, I think the D455 would be the premium option?

  • More robust and reliable alternative to RPLIDAR A1? I have worked a lot with SICK Microscan Safety Laser Scanner in Robotic applications, which can also be used for Lidar. But I’m looking for something more budget friendly, and yet better than the RPLidar.

  • Dynamixel motors. Are those a great selection? Are there similar models available. I do need to be able to track position and encoder be nice, but need to be ROS supported.

  • Motor control via Pixhawk and raspberry pi setup?

Nevertheless, I have heard and read Lidar is particularly sensitive and error-prone. I do know from own experience working with Lidar systems, that false reads can happen quite often.

Thanks heaps for any comment