Hi Guys,

        The only comerical robotic lawn mower I know required you to bury a cable which is really the only truly safe way to handle the problem.  There is still the issue of what happens if the cable fails due to a power outage.

Ben

----------
From:   Charles Hoss[SMTP:timothy@BEKES.HUNGARY.NET]
Reply To:       pic microcontroller discussion list
Sent:   Tuesday, November 18, 1997 1:14 AM
To:     PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject:        Re: Robot Lawnmowers

Michael S. Hagberg wrote:
>
> no not funny,
>
> i don't think that any of us (with lawns) haven't thought of this project. i
> see they have a link to the 2x compass. i read the specs and didn't feel
> that this device was accurate enough for a guidance system. counting ticks
> on the wheel revolutions won't work either because the ground is not flat. i
> saw a robot show on tv where they used dual gps receivers about the size of
> a pack of cigeretts. does anyone know who makes devices like this. or how
> would you send a robot 200 feet (70 meters) down a property line without
> mowing over your neighbors flower garden?
>
> michael

the gps is not too reliable at this resolution :)
the vector is good, but you have to measure the distance from a few
points to make a reliable navigation system
(or you could detect the position of the 'mower with some kind of ccd
and send the directions back thru radio)

bye
charley