DUAL BUMPER - LIGHT CURTAIN OBSTACLE DETECTION SENSOR

An obstacle detection and position sensing system for autonomous mobile vehicles is described. The system includes two spaced-apart contact and position sensitive bumpers disposed across the frontal cross section of the vehicle. Light beams are directed by transceivers and retroreflectors across the frontal cross section area between the two bumpers, forming a light curtain. The combination of the bumpers and light curtain provides complete frontal coverage of the potential collision cross-section of a fairly large vehicle, without obstructing the field of view of sonar, optical, or other forward-looking sensors.