Image processing is widely used in order to sense the environment surrounding
mobile robots. A CCD camera is one of typical image sensing devices and it is used as an eye
of a mobile robot, because the sensing area of a CCD camera is large and suitable to detect
obstacles in front of it. We are developing a guide robot and an autonomous small vehicle to
assist the visually impaired person and the aged. Various functions for support are installed in
the guide robot, especially, obstacle avoidance functions necessary to ensure the safety of the
user. When the guide robot is moving, the avoidance of not only the static objects but also
moving objects is necessary. As the guide robot estimates the direction of the movement of
approaching objects and emits a warning about its own movement, the user and the guide robot
can safely pass by moving objects such as pedestrians and bicycles. In this research, we aim
at the improvement of the safety of the guide robot and it proposes a method of recognizing
moving objects by image processing.