Robot localization denotes the robot's ability to establish its own position and orientation within the
frame of reference
In physics and astronomy, a frame of reference (or reference frame) is an abstract coordinate system whose origin, orientation, and scale are specified by a set of reference points― geometric points whose position is identified both mathema ...
.
Path planning
Motion planning, also path planning (also known as the navigation problem or the piano mover's problem) is a computational problem to find a sequence of valid configurations that moves the object from the source to destination. The term is used ...
is effectively an extension of localisation, in that it requires the determination of the robot's current position and a position of a goal location, both within the same frame of reference or coordinates. Map building can be in the shape of a metric map or any notation describing locations in the robot frame of reference.
For any mobile device, the ability to navigate in its environment is important. Avoiding dangerous situations such as collisions and unsafe conditions (
temperature
Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer.
Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...
, radiation, exposure to weather, etc.) comes first, but if the robot has a purpose that relates to specific places in the robot environment, it must find those places.
This article will present an overview of the skill of navigation and try to identify the basic blocks of a robot
navigation system A navigation system is a computing system that aids in navigation. Navigation systems may be entirely on board the vehicle or vessel that the system is controlling (for example, on the ship's bridge) or located elsewhere, making use of radio or othe ...
, types of navigation systems, and closer look at its related building components.
Robot navigation means the robot's ability to determine its own position in its
frame of reference
In physics and astronomy, a frame of reference (or reference frame) is an abstract coordinate system whose origin, orientation, and scale are specified by a set of reference points― geometric points whose position is identified both mathema ...
and then to plan a path towards some goal location. In order to navigate in its environment, the robot or any other mobility device requires representation, i.e. a map of the environment and the ability to ''interpret'' that representation.
Navigation can be defined as the combination of the three fundamental competences:
# Self-localisation
#
Path planning
Motion planning, also path planning (also known as the navigation problem or the piano mover's problem) is a computational problem to find a sequence of valid configurations that moves the object from the source to destination. The term is used ...
#
Map-building and map interpretation
Some robot navigation systems use
simultaneous localization and mapping
Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is the computational problem of constructing or updating a map of an unknown environment while simultaneously keeping track of an agent's location within it. While this initially appears to be a chick ...
to generate
3D reconstruction
In computer vision and computer graphics, 3D reconstruction is the process of capturing the shape and appearance of real objects.
This process can be accomplished either by active or passive methods. If the model is allowed to change its shape i ...
s of their surroundings.
Vision-based navigation
Vision-based navigation or optical navigation uses
computer vision
Computer vision is an interdisciplinary scientific field that deals with how computers can gain high-level understanding from digital images or videos. From the perspective of engineering, it seeks to understand and automate tasks that the hum ...
algorithms and optical sensors, including laser-based
range finder
A rangefinder (also rangefinding telemeter, depending on the context) is a device used to measure distances to remote objects. Originally optical devices used in surveying, they soon found applications in other fields, such as photography an ...
and photometric cameras using
CCD arrays, to extract the
visual features required to the localization in the surrounding environment. However, there are a range of techniques for navigation and localization using vision information, the main components of each technique are:
* representations of the environment.
* sensing models.
* localization algorithms.
In order to give an overview of vision-based navigation and its techniques, we classify these techniques under
indoor navigation and
outdoor navigation.
Indoor navigation
![Egomotion-odometry](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Egomotion-odometry.gif)
The easiest way of making a robot go to a goal location is simply to ''guide'' it to this location. This guidance can be done in different ways: burying an inductive loop or magnets in the floor, painting lines on the floor, or by placing beacons, markers, bar codes etc. in the environment. Such
''Automated Guided Vehicles'' (AGVs) are used in industrial scenarios for transportation tasks. Indoor Navigation of Robots are possible by IMU based indoor positioning devices.
There are a very wider variety of indoor navigation systems. The basic reference of indoor and outdoor navigation systems i
"Vision for mobile robot navigation: a survey"by Guilherme N. DeSouza and Avinash C. Kak.
Also se
"Vision based positioning"and
AVM Navigator
AVM Navigator is an additional module of the RoboRealm ( plugin) that provides object recognition and autonomous robot navigation using a single video camera on the robot as the main sensor for navigation.
Associative Video Memory
It is possible ...
.
Autonomous Flight Controllers
Typical Open Source Autonomous Flight Controllers have the ability to fly in full automatic mode and perform the following operations;
* Take off from the ground and fly to a defined altitude
* Fly to one or more waypoints
* Orbit around a designated point
* Return to the launch position
* Descend at a specified speed and land the aircraft
The onboard flight controller relies on GPS for navigation and stabilized flight, and often employ additional
Satellite-based augmentation system
Augmentation of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) is a method of improving the navigation system's attributes, such as precision, reliability, and availability, through the integration of external information into the calculation process. ...
s (SBAS) and altitude (barometric pressure) sensor.
Inertial navigation
Some navigation systems for airborne robots are based on
inertial sensor
An inertial measurement unit (IMU) is an electronic device that measures and reports a body's specific force, angular rate, and sometimes the orientation of the body, using a combination of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and sometimes magnetomete ...
s.
Acoustic navigation
Autonomous underwater vehicle
An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is a robot that travels underwater without requiring input from an operator. AUVs constitute part of a larger group of undersea systems known as unmanned underwater vehicles, a classification that includes ...
s can be guided by
underwater acoustic positioning system
An underwater acoustic positioning system is a system for the tracking and navigation of underwater vehicles or divers by means of acoustic distance and/or direction measurements, and subsequent position triangulation. Underwater acoustic position ...
s.
Navigation systems using
sonar
Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigation, navigate, measure distances (ranging), communicate with or detect o ...
have also been developed.
Radio navigation
Robots can also determine their positions using
radio navigation
Radio navigation or radionavigation is the application of radio frequencies to determine a position of an object on the Earth, either the vessel or an obstruction. Like radiolocation, it is a type of radiodetermination.
The basic principles a ...
.
See also
*
Electronic navigation Electronic navigation are forms of navigation that ships, land vehicles, and people can use, which rely on technology powered by electricity.
Methods of electronic navigation include:
*Satellite navigation, satellite navigation systems
*Radio navi ...
*
Location awareness
Location awareness refers to devices that can passively or actively determine their location. Navigational instruments provide location coordinates for vessels and vehicles. Surveying equipment identifies location with respect to a well-known locat ...
*
Vehicular automation
Vehicular automation involves the use of mechatronics, artificial intelligence, and multi-agent systems to assist the operator of a vehicle (car, aircraft, watercraft, or otherwise).Hu, J.; Bhowmick, P.; Lanzon, A.,Group Coordinated Control o ...
References
Further reading
*
Mobile Robot NavigationJonathan Dixon, Oliver Henlich - 10 June 1997
* BECKER, M. ; DANTAS, Carolina Meirelles ; MACEDO, Weber Perdigão,
Obstacle Avoidance Procedure for Mobile Robots. In: Paulo Eigi Miyagi; Oswaldo Horikawa; Emilia Villani. (Org.). ''ABCM Symposium Series in Mechatronics'', Volume 2. 1 ed. São Paulo - SP: ABCM, 2006, v. 2, p. 250-257.
External links
line tracking sensors for robots and its algorithms
{{Robotics