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Collaborative localization for small networked robot teams
Thesis   Open access

Collaborative localization for small networked robot teams

T. James Milligan
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Jun 2013
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-4250
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Abstract

Autonomous robots--Design and construction Mechanical Engineering Robotics
This work describes the development of a collaborative localization and state estimation framework for a team of small autonomous ground robots working in a heterogeneous team of aerial and larger ground robots in an indoor environment. Specifically, we envision a scenario where aerial vehicles cooperating with mobile ground robots and operating with smaller less capable robots can map, explore, monitor, and search for objectives of interest within an indoor environment. This work examines specifically the localization of the small ground robots using a modified version of the bearings-only localization scheme. Each robot is equipped with an LED-based identifier/marker, a color camera, wheel encoders, and wireless communication capabilities. Collaborative localization and state estimation is achieved via on-board vision processing and local inter-agent communication. An approach for the localization of a primarily static system for the purpose of determing the initial pose of the team is presented and demonstrated in simulation. A similar methodology for the dynamic localization of a team in motion is also described and validated experimentally. Experimental results demonstrated that this system was able to locate a robot in the workspace to within 1.5 robot body lengths.

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