Landmark Selection for Vision-Based Navigation

Recent work in the object recognition community has yielded a class of interest-point-based features that are stable under significant changes in scale, viewpoint, and illumination, making them ideally suited to landmark-based navigation. Although many such features may be visible in a given view of the robot's environment, only a few such features are necessary to estimate the robot's position and orientation. In this paper, we address the problem of automatically selecting, from the entire set of features visible in the robot's environment, the minimum (optimal) set by which the robot can navigate its environment. Specifically, we decompose the world into a small number of maximally sized regions, such that at each position in a given region, the same small set of features is visible. We introduce a novel graph theoretic formulation of the problem, and prove that it is NP-complete. Next, we introduce a number of approximation algorithms and evaluate them on both synthetic and real data. Finally, we use the decompositions from the real image data to measure the localization performance versus the undecomposed map.     

Task Planning For A Mobile Robot In An Indoor Environment Using Object-oriented Domain Information

For a mobile robot to be practical, it needs to navigate in dynamically changing environments and manipulate objects in the environment with operating ease. The main challenges to satisfying these requirements in mobile robot research include the collection of robot environment information, storage and organization of this information, and fast task planning based on available information. Conventional approaches to these problems are far from satisfactory due to their requirement of high computation time. In this paper, we specifically address the problems of storage and organization of the environment information and fast task planning in the area of robotic research. We propose an special object-oriented data model (OODM) for information storage and management in order to solve the first problem. This model explicitly represents domain knowledge and abstracts a global perspective about the robot's dynamically changing environment. To solve the second problem, we introduce a fast task planning algorithm that fully uses domain knowledge related to robot applications and to the given environment. Our OODM based task planning method presents a general frame work and representation, into which domain specific information, domain decomposition methods and specific path planners can be tailored for different task planning problems. This method unifies and integrates the salient features from various areas such as database, artificial intelligence, and robot path planning, thus increasing the planning speed significantly     

独立于设计者的行动推理

高水平的智能机器人要求能够独立地对环境进行感知并进行正确的行动推理.在情境演算行动理论中表示带有感知行动及知识的行动推理需要外部设计者为agent写出背景公理、感知结果及相应的知识变化,这是一种依赖于设计者的行动推理.情境演算行动理论被适当扩充,感知器的表示被添加到行动理论的形式语言中,并把agent新知识的产生建立在感知器的应用结果之上.扩充后的系统能够形式化地表示机器人对环境的感知并把感知结果转换为知识,还能进行独立于设计者的行动推理,同时让感知行动的"黑箱"过程清晰化.     

Development of a real-life EKF based SLAM system for mobile robots employing vision sensing

Developing real-life solutions for implementation of the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithm for mobile robots has been well regarded as a complex problem for quite some time now. Our present work demonstrates a successful real implementation of extended Kalman filter (EKF) based SLAM algorithm for indoor environments, utilizing two web-cam based stereo-vision sensing mechanism. The vision-sensing mechanism is a successful development of a real algorithm for image feature identification in frames grabbed from continuously running videos on two cameras, tracking of these identified features in subsequent frames and incorporation of these landmarks in the map created, utilizing a 3D distance calculation module. The system has been successfully test-run in laboratory environments where the robot is commanded to navigate through some specified waypoints and create a map of its surrounding environment. Our experimentations showed that the estimated positions of the landmarks identified in the map created closely tallies with the actual positions of these landmarks in real-life.     

Cooperative localization for disconnected sensor networks and a mobile robot in friendly environments

Localization for a disconnected sensor network is highly unlikely to be achieved by its own sensor nodes, since accessibility of the information between any pair of sensor nodes cannot be guaranteed. In this paper, a mobile robot (or a mobile sensor node) is introduced to establish correlations among sparsely distributed sensor nodes which are disconnected, even isolated. The robot and the sensor network operate in a friendly manner, in which they can cooperate to perceive each other for achieving more accurate localization, rather than trying to avoid being detected by each other. The mobility of the robot allows for the stationary and internally disconnected sensor nodes to be dynamically connected and correlated. On one hand, the robot performs simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) based on the constrained local submap filter (CLSF). The robot creates a local submap composed of the sensor nodes present in its immediate vicinity. The locations of these nodes and the pose (position and orientation angle) of the robot are estimated within the local submap. On the other hand, the sensor nodes in the submap estimate the pose of the robot. A parallax-based robot pose estimation and tracking (PROPET) algorithm, which uses the relationship between two successive measurements of the robot's range and bearing, is proposed to continuously track the robot's pose with each sensor node. Then, tracking results of the robot's pose from different sensor nodes are fused by the Kalman filter (KF). The multi-node fusion result are further integrated with the robot's SLAM result within the local submap to achieve more accurate localization for the robot and the sensor nodes. Finally, the submap is projected and fused into the global map by the CLSF to generate localization results represented in the global frame of reference. Simulation and experimental results are presented to show the performances of the proposed method for robot-sensor network cooperative localization. Especially, if the robot (or the mobile sensor node) has the same sensing ability as the stationary sensor nodes, the localization accuracy can be significantly enhanced using the proposed method.     

The Design and Analysis of an Efficient Local Algorithm for Coverage and Exploration Based on Sensor Network Deployment

We present the design and theoretical analysis of a novel algorithm termed least recently visited (LRV). LRV efficiently and simultaneously solves the problems of coverage, exploration, and sensor network deployment. The basic premise behind the algorithm is that a robot carries network nodes as a payload, and in the process of moving around, emplaces the nodes into the environment based on certain local criteria. In turn, the nodes emit navigation directions for the robot as it goes by. Nodes recommend directions least recently visited by the robot, hence, the name LRV. We formally establish the following two properties: 1) LRV is complete on graphs and 2) LRV is optimal on trees. We present experimental conjectures for LRV on regular square and cube lattice graphs and compare its performance empirically to other graph exploration algorithms. We study the effects of the order of the exploration and show on a square lattice that with an appropriately chosen order, LRV performs optimally. Finally, we discuss the implementation of LRV in simulation and in real hardware.     

Intelligent and Efficient Strategy for Unstructured Environment Sensing Using Mobile Robot Agents

In field environments it is not usually possible to provide robots in advance with valid geometric models of its task and environment. The robot or robot teams need to create these models by scanning the environment with its sensors. Here, an information-based iterative algorithm to plan the robot's visual exploration strategy is proposed to enable it to most efficiently build 3D models of its environment and task. The method assumes mobile robot (or vehicle) with vision sensors mounted at a manipulator end-effector (eye-in-hand system). This algorithm efficiently repositions the systems' sensing agents using an information theoretic approach and fuses sensory information using physical models to yield a geometrically consistent environment map. This is achieved by utilizing a metric derived from Shannon's information theory to determine optimal sensing poses for the agent(s) mapping a highly unstructured environment. This map is then distributed among the agents using an information-based relevant data reduction scheme. This method is particularly well suited to unstructured environments, where sensor uncertainty is significant. Issues addressed include model-based multiple sensor data fusion, and uncertainty and vehicle suspension motion compensation. Simulation results show the effectiveness of this algorithm.     

基于立体视觉的串联机器人跟踪检测系统

建立一种六自由度串联机器人视觉跟踪检测系统框架,包括图像采集、摄像机标定、机器臂跟踪检测、机器臂位姿建模与计算等。提出利用CamShift算法对机器人进行在线粗跟踪,搜寻和画定出机器臂操作器在当前窗口的区域位置。对跟踪到的机器臂按照SURF算法进行特征提取与立体匹配。该方法被用于对串联机器人位姿检测进行实验。实验结果表明,2种算法的结合适用于六自由度串联机器人在空间复杂运动的跟踪检测。     

Model-based visual feedback control for a hand-eye coordinatedrobotic system

The integration of a single camera into a robotic system to control the relative position and orientation between the robot's end-effector and a moving part in real time is discussed. Only monocular vision techniques are considered because of current limitations in the speed of computer vision analysis. The approach uses geometric models of both the part and the camera, as well as the extracted image features, to generate the appropriate robot control signals for tracking. Part and camera models are also used during the teaching stage to predict important image features that appear during task completion     

基于CPLD的彩色视觉移动机器人路径跟踪系统

路径跟踪是机器人视觉导航控制基本技术之一,为使机器人沿地面彩色引导线自主运动,并能在适时离线执行任务后自动返航,提出了一种用可编程逻辑器件(CPLD)实现的视觉伺服PID控制方法.该方法利用图像特征反馈对其所跟踪的路经进行实时识别跟踪.仿真结果表明,该方法改善了控制算法的实时性,提高了移动机器人的路径跟踪精度与速度.     

基于Octomap的仿人机器人局部环境与能力图模型算法

基于3D点云数据的机器人三维空间能力图模型算法存在体素网格搜索计算量大的问题，由于OcTree在三维空间细分时的层次化优势，提出一种基于Octomap的局部环境与能力图模型算法。首先，根据NAO机器人的关节组成、正向运动学、逆向运动学和刚体坐标变换，对NAO仿人机器人构建全身二叉树状运动学模型；其次在此基础上使用前向运动学在笛卡儿空间计算离散的三维可达点云，并将其作为机器人终端效应器的基础工作空间；然后重点描述将点云空间表示转化为Octomap空间节点表示的方法，尤其是空间节点的概率更新方法；最后提出根据节点几何关系进行空间节点更新顺序选择的优化方法，从而高效地实现了仿人机器人能力图的空间优化表示。实验结果表明，相对于之前的原始Octomap更新方法，优化后的算法能降低近30%空间节点数，提高计算效率。     

Piecemeal Graph Exploration by a Mobile Robot

We study how a mobile robot can learn an unknown environment in a piecemeal manner. The robot's goal is to learn a complete map of its environment, while satisfying the constraint that it must return every so often to its starting position (for refueling, say). The environment is modeled as an arbitrary, undirected graph, which is initially unknown to the robot. We assume that the robot can distinguish vertices and edges that it has already explored. We present a surprisingly efficient algorithm for piecemeal learning an unknown undirected graph G=(V, E) in which the robot explores every vertex and edge in the graph by traversing at most O(E+V^1+o(1)) edges. This nearly linear algorithm improves on the best previous algorithm, in which the robot traverses at most O(E+V²) edges. We also give an application of piecemeal learning to the problem of searching a graph for a “treasure.”     

基于多源信息融合的协作机器人演示编程及优化方法

为解决现有机器人装配学习过程复杂且对编程技术要求高等问题,提出一种基于前臂表面肌电信号和惯性多源信息融合的隐式交互方式来实现机器人演示编程.在通过演示学习获得演示人的装配经验的基础上,为提高对装配对象和环境变化的自适应能力,提出了一种多工深度确定性策略梯度算法（M-DDPG）来修正装配参数,在演示编程的基础上,进行强化学习确保机器人稳定执行任务.在演示编程实验中,提出一种改进的PCNN（并行卷积神经网络）,称作1维PCNN（1D-PCNN）,即通过1维的卷积与池化过程自动提取惯性信息与肌电信息特征,增强了手势识别的泛化性和准确率;在演示再现实验中,采用高斯混合模型（GMM）对演示数据进行统计编码,利用高斯混合回归（GMR）方法实现机器人轨迹动作再现,消除噪声点.最后,基于Primesense Carmine摄像机采用帧差法与多特征图核相关滤波算法（MKCF）的融合跟踪算法分别获取X轴与Y轴方向的环境变化,采用2个相同的网络结构并行进行连续过程的深度强化学习.在轴孔相对位置变化的情况下,机械臂能根据强化学习得到的泛化策略模型自动对机械臂末端位置进行调整,实现轴孔装配的演示学习.     

基于视觉图像的全向移动机器人轨迹跟踪控制研究

机器人轨迹节点跟踪比较难,导致机器人实际轨迹偏离期望轨迹,所以设计基于视觉图像的全向移动机器人轨迹跟踪控制方法;构建全向移动机器人的运动学数学模型,以此确定机器人移动轨迹数学模型;以移动轨迹数学模型为基础,按照视觉图像划分标准对全向移动机器人运动图像的分割,通过分离目标节点的方式提取运动学特征参量,完成机器人轨迹节点跟踪处理;结合节点跟踪处理结果,将运动学不等式与误差向量作为机器人轨迹跟踪控制的约束条件,利用滑模变结构搭建轨迹跟踪控制模型,实现全向移动机器人轨迹跟踪控制;对比实验结果表明,所设计的方法应用后,全向移动机器人角速度曲线、线速度曲线与期望运动轨迹曲线之间的贴合程度均超过90%,满足全向移动机器人轨迹跟踪控制要求。     

Mobile Robot Self-Localization without Explicit Landmarks

Localization is the process of determining the robot's location within its environment. More precisely, it is a procedure which takes as input a geometric map, a current estimate of the robot's pose, and sensor readings, and produces as output an improved estimate of the robot's current pose (position and orientation). We describe a combinatorially precise algorithm which performs mobile robot localization using a geometric model of the world and a point-and-shoot ranging device. We also describe a rasterized version of this algorithm which we have implemented on a real mobile robot equipped with a laser rangefinder we designed. Both versions of the algorithm allow for uncertainty in the data returned by the range sensor. We also present experimental results for the rasterized algorithm, obtained using our mobile robots at Cornell. Received November 15, 1996; revised January 13, 1998.     

Physical Path Planning Using a Pervasive Embedded Network

We evaluate a technique that uses an embedded network deployed pervasively throughout an environment to aid robots in navigation. The embedded nodes do not know their absolute or relative positions and the mobile robots do not perform localization or mapping. Yet, the mobile robot is able to navigate through complex environments effectively. First, we present an algorithm for physical path planning and its implementation on the Gnats, a novel embedded network platform. Next, we investigate the quality of the computed paths. We present quantitative results collected from a real-world embedded network of 60 nodes. Experimentally, we find that, on average, the path computed by the network is only 24% longer than the optimal path. Finally, we show that the paths computed by the network are useful for a simple mobile robot. Results from a network of 156 nodes in a static environment and a network of 60 nodes in a dynamic environment are presented.     

Adaptive mapping and navigation by teams of simple robots

We present a technique for mapping an unknown environment and navigating through it using a team of simple robots. Minimal assumptions are made about the abilities of the robots on a team. We assume only that robots can explore the environment using a random walk, detect the goal location, and communicate among themselves by transmitting a single small integer over a limited distance and in a direct line of sight; additionally, one designated robot, the navigator, can track toward a team member when it is nearby and in a direct line of sight. We do not assume that robots can determine their absolute (x, y) positions in the environment to be mapped, determine their positions relative to other team members, or sense anything other than the goal location and the transmissions of their teammates. In spite of these restrictive assumptions, we show that for moderate-sized teams in complex environments the time needed to construct a map and then navigate to a goal location can be competitive with the time needed to navigate to the goal along an optimal path formed with perfect knowledge of the environment. In other words, collective mapping enables navigation in an unmapped environment with only modest overhead. This basic result holds over a wide range of assumptions about robot reliability, sensor range, tracking ability.

We then describe an extended mapping algorithm that allows an existing map to be efficiently corrected when a goal location changes. We show that a robot team using the algorithm is adaptive, in the sense that its performance will improve over time, whenever navigation goals follow certain regular patterns.     

主动关节履带式蛇形救援机器人结构参数多目标优化设计

针对机器人化救援装备研制的难点,对具备肌肉注射功能的蛇形机器人结构参数进行了优化,进而解决了废墟非结构环境对机器人执行任务的约束问题。首先,在分析机器人废墟环境运动机理基础上,建立机器人运动性能与结构参数的函数模型。然后,利用基于非支配排序的NSGA-II和基于分解的MOEA-D多目标遗传算法2种方式对模型分别进行求解。通过对比2种方式,证明了NSGA-II算法在求解上更有效,最终确定机器人样机的最优结构设计参数。最后,根据优化结果研制了实验用的蛇形机器人样机。实验结果显示机器人的最大台阶翻越高度为0.18m,相对误差为0%;最大沟壑跨越宽度为0.4m,相对误差2.3%;直线构形最小转向阻力矩为14.320N·m,相对误差11.2%。验证了基于NSGA-II算法的结构参数多目标优化设计方法的有效性。     

A Human–Robot Cooperative Learning System for Easy Installation of Assistant Robots in New Working Environments

One of the applications of service robots with a greater social impact is the assistance to elderly or disabled people. In these applications, assistant robots must robustly navigate in structured indoor environments such as hospitals, nursing homes or houses, heading from room to room to carry out different nursing or service tasks. Among the main requirements of these robotic aids, one that will determine its future commercial feasibility, is the easy installation of the robot in new working domains without long, tedious or complex configuration steps. This paper describes the navigation system of the assistant robot called SIRA, developed in the Electronics Department of the University of Alcalá, focusing on the learning module, specially designed to make the installation of the robot easier and faster in new environments. To cope with robustness and reliability requirements, the navigation system uses probabilistic reasoning (POMDPs) to globally localize the robot and to direct its goal-oriented actions. The proposed learning module fast learns the Markov model of a new environment by means of an exploration stage that takes advantage of human–robot interfaces (basically speech) and user–robot cooperation to accelerate model acquisition. The proposed learning method, based on a modification of the EM algorithm, is able to robustly explore new environments with a low number of corridor traversals, as shown in some experiments carried out with SIRA.     

Image-based homing navigation with landmark arrangement matching

Many insects and animals exploit their own navigation systems to navigate in space. Biologically-inspired methods have been introduced for landmark-based navigation algorithms of a mobile robot. The methods determine the movement direction based on a home snapshot image and another snapshot from the current position. In this paper, we suggest a new landmark-based matching method for robotic homing navigation that first computes the distance to each landmark based on ego-motion and estimates the landmark arrangement in the snapshot image. Then, landmark vectors are used to localize the robotic agent in the environment and to choose the appropriate direction to return home. As a result, this method has a higher success rate for returning home from an arbitrary position than do the conventional image-matching algorithms.