Mobile robot localization and control using a calibrated camera

• Grant number: 11/17170-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2011
• End date: October 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Industrial Electronics, Electronic Systems and Controls
• Principal Investigator: Valdir Grassi Junior
• Grantee: Gilberto Volpe Neto
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this research is to localize in real-time a set of small mobile robots using an external calibrated camera. This localization will enable the formation control of the robots. The experimental set used for this is composed of a calibrated colored high-resolution camera fixed near the ceiling of the laboratory, and small mobile robots with colored marks on top of them. The camera images should be processed in real-time to extract the pose information of the robots. An initial localization algorithm was developed but its performance must be improved in order to use its output for real-time control of the robots. Besides, a filter should be developed to eliminate noise and improve the reliability of localization output. A software framework called ROS (Robot Operating System) will be used to control the robots, and the study of this framework is also one of the objectives of this proposal.(AU)