Interleaved Sparse–Dense Scanning for Low-Latency Obstacle Detection and 3D Mapping on an Embedded Robotic Platform

LiDAR is widely used in robotics because it provides reliable range data for navigation and mapping. On a small embedded robot, however, there is a practical conflict between scan resolution and reaction speed. Dense scans provide better environmental detail, but they take too long for fast obstacle avoidance, whereas sparse scans are faster but can miss obstacles if the spacing between adjacent rays is too large. This paper presents an Interleaved Sparse–Dense Scanning method for a servo-actuated single-point time-of-flight LiDAR mounted on an embedded mobile robot. A dense nested pan–tilt sweep is used for three-dimensional mapping, while a sparse forward scan is inserted between dense rows for obstacle detection and motion control. A geometric model is derived to relate sensing range, beam spacing, and minimum detectable object width. That model is then linked to zone-based safety constraints and to the distance the robot can travel before the next obstacle update. For the robot used in this study, the resulting sparse configuration is a 7-point forward scan over a 180° field of view. Experiments in a real indoor environment showed that this configuration reliably detected target blocking obstacles and reduced decision latency by 6.2 times compared with waiting for a complete dense scan before each navigation update. The proposed method provides a practical balance between reactive obstacle avoidance and useful 3D mapping on a low-cost embedded platform, while making the system’s timing and safety limits explicit.