Minimizing of Target Localization Error using Multi-robot System and Particle Filters

In recent years a number of applications with multirobot systems (MRS) is growing in various areas. But their design is in practice often difficult and algorithms are proposed for the theoretical background and do not consider errors and noise in real conditions, so they are not usable in real environment. These errors are visible also in task of target localization enough, when robots try to find and estimate the position of the target by the sensors. Localization of target is possible also with one robot but as it was examined target finding and localization with group of mobile robots can estimate the target position more accurately and faster. The accuracy of target position estimation is made by cooperation of MRS and particle filtering. Advantage of usage the MRS with particle filtering was tested on task of fixed target localization by group of mobile robots.

Estimation of Relative Self-Localization Based On Natural Landmark and an Improved SURF

It is important for an autonomous mobile robot to know where it is in any time in an indoor environment. In this paper, we design a relative self-localization algorithm. The algorithm compare the interest point in two images and compute the relative displacement and orientation to determent the posture. Firstly, we use the SURF algorithm to extract the interest points of the ceiling. Second, in order to reduce amount of calculation, a replacement SURF is used to extract orientation and description of the interest points. At last, according to the transformation of the interest points in two images, the relative self-localization of the mobile robot will be estimated greatly.

Swarm Navigation in a Complex Environment

This paper proposes a solution to the motion planning and control problem of car-like mobile robots which is required to move safely to a designated target in a priori known workspace cluttered with swarm of boids exhibiting collective emergent behaviors. A generalized algorithm for target convergence and swarm avoidance is proposed that will work for any number of swarms. The control laws proposed in this paper also ensures practical stability of the system. The effectiveness of the proposed control laws are demonstrated via computer simulations of an emergent behavior.

Unified Fusion Approach with Application to SLAM

In this paper, we propose the pre-processor based on the Evidence Supporting Measure of Similarity (ESMS) filter and also propose the unified fusion approach (UFA) based on the general fusion machine coupled with ESMS filter, which improve the correctness and precision of information fusion in any fields of application. Here we mainly apply the new approach to Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) of Pioneer II mobile robots. A simulation experiment was performed, where an autonomous virtual mobile robot with sonar sensors evolves in a virtual world map with obstacles. By comparing the result of building map according to the general fusion machine (here DSmT-based fusing machine and PCR5-based conflict redistributor considereded) coupling with ESMS filter and without ESMS filter, it shows the benefit of the selection of the sources as a prerequisite for improvement of the information fusion, and also testifies the superiority of the UFA in dealing with SLAM.

Adaptive Path Planning for Mobile Robot Obstacle Avoidance

Generally speaking, the mobile robot is capable of sensing its surrounding environment, interpreting the sensed information to obtain the knowledge of its location and the environment, planning a real-time trajectory to reach the object. In this process, the issue of obstacle avoidance is a fundamental topic to be challenged. Thus, an adaptive path-planning control scheme is designed without detailed environmental information, large memory size and heavy computation burden in this study for the obstacle avoidance of a mobile robot. In this scheme, the robot can gradually approach its object according to the motion tracking mode, obstacle avoidance mode, self-rotation mode, and robot state selection. The effectiveness of the proposed adaptive path-planning control scheme is verified by numerical simulations of a differential-driving mobile robot under the possible occurrence of obstacle shapes.

Novel Mobile Climbing Robot Agent for Offshore Platforms

To improve HSE standards, oil and gas industries are interested in using remotely controlled and autonomous robots instead of human workers on offshore platforms. In addition to earlier reason this strategy would increase potential revenue, efficient usage of work experts and even would allow operations in more remote areas. This article is the presentation of a custom climbing robot, called Walloid, designed for offshore platform topside automation. This 4 arms climbing robot with grippers is an ongoing project at University of Oslo.

Real-Time Control of a Two-Wheeled Inverted Pendulum Mobile Robot

The research on two-wheeled inverted pendulum (TWIP) mobile robots or commonly known as balancing robots have gained momentum over the last decade in a number of robotic laboratories around the world. This paper describes the hardware design of such a robot. The objective of the design is to develop a TWIP mobile robot as well as MATLAB interfacing configuration to be used as flexible platform comprises of embedded unstable linear plant intended for research and teaching purposes. Issues such as selection of actuators and sensors, signal processing units, MATLAB Real Time Workshop coding, modeling and control scheme will be addressed and discussed. The system is then tested using a wellknown state feedback controller to verify its functionality.

Robot Map Building from Sonar and Laser Information using DSmT with Discounting Theory

In this paper, a new method of information fusion – DSmT (Dezert and Smarandache Theory) is introduced to apply to managing and dealing with the uncertain information from robot map building. Here we build grid map form sonar sensors and laser range finder (LRF). The uncertainty mainly comes from sonar sensors and LRF. Aiming to the uncertainty in static environment, we propose Classic DSm (DSmC) model for sonar sensors and laser range finder, and construct the general basic belief assignment function (gbbaf) respectively. Generally speaking, the evidence sources are unreliable in physical system, so we must consider the discounting theory before we apply DSmT. At last, Pioneer II mobile robot serves as a simulation experimental platform. We build 3D grid map of belief layout, then mainly compare the effect of building map using DSmT and DST. Through this simulation experiment, it proves that DSmT is very successful and valid, especially in dealing with highly conflicting information. In short, this study not only finds a new method for building map under static environment, but also supplies with a theory foundation for us to further apply Hybrid DSmT (DSmH) to dynamic unknown environment and multi-robots- building map together.

Analysis on Modeling and Simulink of DC Motor and its Driving System Used for Wheeled Mobile Robot

Wheeled Mobile Robots (WMRs) are built with their Wheels- drive machine, Motors. Depend on their desire design of WMR, Technicians made used of DC Motors for motion control. In this paper, the author would like to analyze how to choose DC motor to be balance with their applications of especially for WMR. Specification of DC Motor that can be used with desire WMR is to be determined by using MATLAB Simulink model. Therefore, this paper is mainly focus on software application of MATLAB and Control Technology. As the driving system of DC motor, a Peripheral Interface Controller (PIC) based control system is designed including the assembly software technology and H-bridge control circuit. This Driving system is used to drive two DC gear motors which are used to control the motion of WMR. In this analyzing process, the author mainly focus the drive system on driving two DC gear motors that will control with Differential Drive technique to the Wheeled Mobile Robot . For the design analysis of Motor Driving System, PIC16F84A is used and five inputs of sensors detected data are tested with five ON/OFF switches. The outputs of PIC are the commands to drive two DC gear motors, inputs of Hbridge circuit .In this paper, Control techniques of PIC microcontroller and H-bridge circuit, Mechanism assignments of WMR are combined and analyzed by mainly focusing with the “Modeling and Simulink of DC Motor using MATLAB".

Pipelines Monitoring System Using Bio-mimetic Robots

Recently there has been a growing interest in the field of bio-mimetic robots that resemble the behaviors of an insect or an aquatic animal, among many others. One of various bio-mimetic robot applications is to explore pipelines, spotting any troubled areas or malfunctions and reporting its data. Moreover, the robot is able to prepare for and react to any abnormal routes in the pipeline. Special types of mobile robots are necessary for the pipeline monitoring tasks. In order to move effectively along a pipeline, the robot-s movement will resemble that of insects or crawling animals. When situated in massive pipelines with complex routes, the robot places fixed sensors in several important spots in order to complete its monitoring. This monitoring task is to prevent a major system failure by preemptively recognizing any minor or partial malfunctions. Areas uncovered by fixed sensors are usually impossible to provide real-time observation and examination, and thus are dependent on periodical offline monitoring. This paper proposes a monitoring system that is able to monitor the entire area of pipelines–with and without fixed sensors–by using the bio-mimetic robot.

Design and Implementation of Cricket-based Location Tracking System

In this paper, we present a novel approach to location system under indoor environment. The key idea of our work is accurate distance estimation with cricket-based location system using A* algorithm. We also use magnetic sensor for detecting obstacles in indoor environment. Finally, we suggest how this system can be used in various applications such as asset tracking and monitoring.

A Unified Framework for a Robust Conflict-Free Robot Navigation

Many environment specific methods and systems for Robot Navigation exist. However vast strides in the evolution of navigation technologies and system techniques create the need for a general unified framework that is scalable, modular and dynamic. In this paper a Unified Framework for a Robust Conflict-free Robot Navigation System that can be used for either a structured or unstructured and indoor or outdoor environments has been proposed. The fundamental design aspects and implementation issues encountered during the development of the module are discussed. The results of the deployment of three major peripheral modules of the framework namely the GSM based communication module, GIS Module and GPS module are reported in this paper.

The Study on the Wireless Power Transfer System for Mobile Robots

A wireless power transfer system can attribute to the fields in robot, aviation and space in which lightening the weight of device and improving the movement play an important role. A wireless power transfer system was investigated to overcome the inconvenience of using power cable. Especially a wireless power transfer technology is important element for mobile robots. We proposed the wireless power transfer system of the half-bridge resonant converter with the frequency tracking and optimized power transfer control unit. And the possibility of the application and development system was verified through the experiment with LED loads.

Biologically Inspired Controller for the Autonomous Navigation of a Mobile Robot in an Evasion Task

A novel biologically inspired controller for the autonomous navigation of a mobile robot in an evasion task is proposed. The controller takes advantage of the environment by calculating a measure of danger and subsequently choosing the parameters of a reinforcement learning based decision process. Two different reinforcement learning algorithms were used: Qlearning and Sarsa (λ). Simulations show that selecting dynamic parameters reduce the time while executing the decision making process, so the robot can obtain a policy to succeed in an escaping task in a realistic time.

A Development of Home Service Robot using Omni-Wheeled Mobility and Task-Based Manipulation

In this paper, a Smart Home Service Robot, McBot II, which performs mess-cleanup function etc. in house, is designed much more optimally than other service robots. It is newly developed in much more practical system than McBot I which we had developed two years ago. One characteristic attribute of mobile platforms equipped with a set of dependent wheels is their omni- directionality and the ability to realize complex translational and rotational trajectories for agile navigation in door. An accurate coordination of steering angle and spinning rate of each wheel is necessary for a consistent motion. This paper develops trajectory controller of 3-wheels omni-directional mobile robot using fuzzy azimuth estimator. A specialized anthropomorphic robot manipulator which can be attached to the housemaid robot McBot II, is developed in this paper. This built-in type manipulator consists of both arms with 3 DOF (Degree of Freedom) each and both hands with 3 DOF each. The robotic arm is optimally designed to satisfy both the minimum mechanical size and the maximum workspace. Minimum mass and length are required for the built-in cooperated-arms system. But that makes the workspace so small. This paper proposes optimal design method to overcome the problem by using neck joint to move the arms horizontally forward/backward and waist joint to move them vertically up/down. The robotic hand, which has two fingers and a thumb, is also optimally designed in task-based concept. Finally, the good performance of the developed McBot II is confirmed through live tests of the mess-cleanup task.

Wrap-around View Equipped on Mobile Robot

This paper presents a wrap-around view system with 4 smart cameras module and remote motion mobile robot control equipped with smart camera module system. The two-level scheme for remote motion control with smart-pad(IPAD) is introduced on this paper. In the low-level, the wrap-around view system is controlled or operated to keep the reference points lying around top view image plane. On the higher level, a robot image based motion controller is utilized to drive the mobile platform to reach the desired position or track the desired motion planning through image feature feedback. The design wrap-around view system equipped on presents such advantages as follows: 1) a satisfactory solution for the FOV and affine problem; 2) free of any complex and constraint with robot pose. The performance of the wrap-around view equipped on mobile robot remote control is proven by experimental results.

A Real Time Collision Avoidance Algorithm for Mobile Robot based on Elastic Force

This present paper proposes the modified Elastic Strip method for mobile robot to avoid obstacles with a real time system in an uncertain environment. The method deals with the problem of robot in driving from an initial position to a target position based on elastic force and potential field force. To avoid the obstacles, the robot has to modify the trajectory based on signal received from the sensor system in the sampling times. It was evident that with the combination of Modification Elastic strip and Pseudomedian filter to process the nonlinear data from sensor uncertainties in the data received from the sensor system can be reduced. The simulations and experiments of these methods were carried out.

Robot Motion Planning in Dynamic Environments with Moving Obstacles and Target

This paper presents a new sensor-based online method for generating collision-free near-optimal paths for mobile robots pursuing a moving target amidst dynamic and static obstacles. At each iteration, first the set of all collision-free directions are calculated using velocity vectors of the robot relative to each obstacle and target, forming the Directive Circle (DC), which is a novel concept. Then, a direction close to the shortest path to the target is selected from feasible directions in DC. The DC prevents the robot from being trapped in deadlocks or local minima. It is assumed that the target's velocity is known, while the speeds of dynamic obstacles, as well as the locations of static obstacles, are to be calculated online. Extensive simulations and experimental results demonstrated the efficiency of the proposed method and its success in coping with complex environments and obstacles.