<title>MDSP: a modular DSP architecture for a real-time 3D laser range sensor</title>

By combining a number of embedded digital signal processors (DSPs) within a desktop PC, we have developed a system that offers not only the mass storage, network utilities, user interface and presentation graphics of a regular PC, but also the real-time response rates normally associated only with embedded systems. In this paper we outline the design of such a system that has been built to demonstrate a real-time 3D laser range sensor. The prototype range sensor consists of a custom-built auto-synchronized 3D laser scanner head that is directly interfaced to off-the-shelf computing hardware. The hardware includes a number of PCI bus DSP cards that communicate using dedicated high-speed interprocessor links. Communication between the desktop PC and the embedded DSPs uses the PCI bus. This processing power will be required to achieve real-time data acquisition and 3D geometrical tracking capabilities. This paper outlines the prototype 3D laser range sensor and describes its computing architecture. The embedded DSPs run under a commercial multiprocessor real-time operating system. This combination leads to a highly modular system in which processors may be added or removed with minimal side effects.