US Patent 11789457 System for collision detection in autonomous mobile device

An autonomous mobile device (AMD) moves through a physical space without human intervention. Data from sensors on the AMD is used to determine if the AMD has collided with an obstacle. In one implementation the sensors may include a microphone. A collision may produce in the structure of the AMD a characteristic sound that is detected by the microphone and recognized as indicative of a collision. In another implementation information about velocity of the AMD and output from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) may be used to determine a characteristic change in motion that is indicative of a collision. Data from the microphone and the IMU may be combined to improve the reliability of collision detection.