Advantages of using OPTIPACT Due to the shift in CG of AGVs carrying heavy loads when negotiating bends, coupled with imperfect traction between the wheels and floor, slippages may sometime occur. Therefore, OPTIPACTs are ideal for AGVs where an encoder wheel is not continuously in contact with the floor. Furthermore, as opposed to the 1D measurement of rotary encoders, the OPTIPACT sensors allow measurements of position and velocity in 2D and are useful in detecting and correcting any deviations of the AGVs from its planed path. Unlike wired sensors and guide tapes dependent sensors, OPTIPACTs do not need any special surfaces to work on. OPTIPACTs were tested on sealed concrete floor as well as black/yellow striped tape floor, two types of floor surfaces that would typically be encountered in an industrial environment, and found to be performing well with a high level of accuracy (i.e. measurement error lesser than 1% of distance measured). The increment output signals of our OPTIPACTs are compatible to the output of incremental encoders and can be read off directly to provide a means of very fast feedback for control system.
