Mobile Robot Navigation System Vision Based Through Indoor Corridors

Nowadays, industry has been moving toward fourth industry revolution, but surveillance industry is still using human in patrol. This will put this industry in risk due to human nature instincts. By using a mobile robot with assist of vision sensor to patrol can bring this industry to a new level. However, the indoor corridor navigation will become a big challenge to this method. The objective of this project is to develop a navigation system using vision sensor and navigate the mobile robot in indoor corridor environment. To perform this operation, a control system though the WLAN communication develop to guide the movement of mobile robot. Besides that, corridor following system with vision sensor that using Sobel edge detection method and Hough transform to getting the vanish point is needed to help the robot to safely travel in the corridor. Both systems can be using MATLAB to be execute and link with the mobile robot through WLAN connection. This system can be analysis the corridor condition base on different feature and can decide to drive the mobile car in the direction that given. The image capture by mobile robot can be stream to MATLAB in real time and receive a feedback in short time

A methodology for the performance evaluation of inertial measurement units

This paper presents a methodology for a reliable comparison among Inertial Measurement Units or attitude estimation devices in a Vicon environment. The misalignment among the reference systems and the lack of synchronization among the devices are the main problems for the correct performance evaluation using Vicon as reference measurement system. We propose a genetic algorithm coupled with Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) to solve these issues. To validate the efficacy of the methodology, a performance comparison is implemented between the WB-3 ultra-miniaturized Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), developed by our group, with the commercial IMU InertiaCube3™ by InterSense

3D Obstacle Avoidance for Unmanned Autonomous System (UAS)

The goal of this thesis is to design a real-time, three-dimensional algorithm, named as the vector mesh (VM) algorithm, for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to generate collision-free motion in indoor or outdoor environments with unknown obstacles. This promising technology can be utilized in both military and commercial applications. The VM approach employs three data reduction phases to compute optimal navigation directions while on-board scanning range sensor continuously updates depth data. In order to develop the VM, vector filed histogram (VFH) which applied in 2D space was first simulated in Matlab. Then a 2D autonomous navigation was implemented on a developed Vision-based Ground Vehicle (VGV) and the entire system was controlled by a modified VFH method which was computing in the Robot Operating System (ROS). Also, the VM algorithm was simulated in ROS and integrated into Gazebo simulator which is an effective graphic based robot simulator in complex indoor and outdoor environment. In this study, it has been shown that the proposed VM can be an effective 3D obstacle avoidance algorithm for typical small-UAVs if 3D information is continuously provided

Alocação de controle desacoplada rápida em sistemas de controle superatuados

Over-actuated systems usually require nonlinear control allocation methods to map Virtual Control Actions (VCAs) into Real Control Actions (RCAs). This process requires computational efforts sometimes not available on embedded robotic platforms. It is in this context that this work presents the design of an Quadrotor Tilt-Rotor (QTR) through a new concept of control allocation with uncoupled RCAs, where the initial nonlinear system is divided into partially dependent linear subsystems with fast and robust convergence. For this purpose, the RCAs are divided into smaller sets, used sequentially to linearize and solve the system. The reduction of the initial nonlinear control effectiveness matrix is improved by selecting each subset in a different arrangement of VCAs. However, the choice of this arrangement may lead to absence, partial or full superposition of VCAs in the subsystems. The technique was validated through mathematical tutorial cases, QTR simulation tests and open field flight and gyroscopic test bench experimental tests. Finally, the control allocation technique proved to be reliable, robust, efficient and applicable in the QTR when there is full superposition of VCAs between the subsystems.Sistemas superatuados geralmente requerem métodos de alocação de controle não lineares para mapear as Ações de Controle Virtuais (ACVs) em Ações de ControleReais (ACRs). Esse processo exige esforços computacionais que, as vezes, são limitados em plataformas robóticas embarcadas. E neste contexto que este trabalho apresenta o projeto de um Veículo Aéreo Não-Tripulado (VANT) do tipo Quadrotor Tilt-Rotor (QTR) superatuado, utilizando de um novo conceito de alocação de controle com ACRs desacopladas, onde o sistema não-linear inicial é dividido em subsistemas lineares parcialmente dependentes. Para esse propósito, as ACRs são divididas em conjuntos menores, usados sequencialmente para linearizar e resolver o sistema. Para melhorar a redução da matriz de eficácia de controle não-linear inicial, é possível selecionar para cada subconjunto um arranjo diferente de ACVs. Contudo, a escolha deste arranjo pode gerar ausência, parcial ou completa superposição das ACVs nos subsistemas. A validação da técnica foi realizada através de exemplos matemáticos tutoriais, testes de simulação e experimentais do QTR em uma bancada giroscópica e em campo aberto. Por fim, a técnica de alocação de controle se mostrou confiável, robusta, eficiente e aplicável no QTR quando se tem superposição completa das ACVs entre os subsistemas

Validação Computacional tendo em vista a Interoperabilidade entre os Veículos Aéreos Não Tripulados

Nos dias de hoje, com o contínuo desenvolvimento e inovação no campo dos UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehciles), o mundo já tem como adquiridos os benefícios que estes sistemas podem fornecer. Os benefícios obtidos com a aplicação destes sistemas abrange tanto as forças armadas como industrias e organizações civis. Todas as nações e indústrias querem ter uma cota parte no futuro desta tecnologia. Diferentes UAVs foram desenvolvidos, mas estes, diferem em termos de arquitetura e protocolos de comunicação. Protocolos como o STANAG 4586, MAVLink, JAUS e ROS são só alguns exemplos. A proliferação de informação através destes sistemas e as suas consolas de comando e controlo é uma das principais preocupações, principalmente pelas forças armadas. Uma das principais prioridades é combinar forças de diferentes nações, principalmente pelos membros NATO. A necessidade de uma consola para cada tipo de sistema devido à falta de padronização apresenta assim um problema. É conhecida a necessidade de uma padronização em termos de arquitetura por camadas e de comunicação tendo em vista a interoperabilidade entre estes sistemas. Não existe nenhuma que esteja a ser implementada como documento padrão. Pretende-se que o STANAG 4586 seja o documento padrão para os membros NATO e, por conseguinte, todos os esforços estão direcionados em desenvolver sistemas que o consigam implementar. Os diferentes UAVs já existentes possuem o seu próprio protocolo de comunicação e a alteração de toda a sua estrutura não é fácil. A ideia de fazer uma conversão de linguagens como alternativa surge como uma solução teórica ótima. Utilizando um piloto automático que comunica com a sua consola através da linguagem MAVLink esta dissertação tem como objetivo desenvolver um programa computacional que converta as mensagens MAVLink em STANAG 4586 e estudar se o tempo de conversão é operacionalmente válido tendo em conta os requisitos operacionais dos sistemas.Nowadays, in the continuous technological development and innovation regarding UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehciles), the world has acknowledged the benefits that these systems bring to our environment. The profits received with the application of these robots cover almost all the fields regarding the armed forces, environmental and agriculture industries and civil protection organizations. Every nation and industry wants to take part in this future main technology. Different UAVs have been designed and developed that differ in terms of architecture and communication protocols. Frameworks like STANAG 4586, MAVLink , JAUS and ROS are some examples. The proliferation of information through these systems and their command and control consoles is one of the main concerns, mainly by armed forces. Combining forces from different nations, mainly by NATO members, in exercises and real time crisis fights are one of the primary priorities due to the benefits that they can combine. It’s known the necessity of a standard in terms of layered architecture and communication towards the interoperability between these systems. Many standards have been created trying to fulfil this gap but there isn’t one that is currently implemented as the main standard document. The STANAG 4586 is intended to be implemented as the main standard for NATO members and, therefore, all the efforts go towards to develop systems that implement these architecture and communication protocol. The different UAVs already created have their one communication protocol and the redesign of the entire architecture of the systems by one company isn’t easy and could not be convenient or affordable. The idea of doing a conversion of languages instead of redesign all the system architecture emerges as the optimal theoretical solution. Using a PIXHAWK autopilot that communicates to the Ground Control Station (GCS) through MAVLink it’s possible to develop computational software that converts MAVLink messages to the format of STANAG 4586. Starting from there, the objective is to check if it is viable for the protocol requirements and study the delay that the conversion introduces to the system in comparison with the channel without the conversion. The delay must not be inviable for the communication requirements between the GCS and the UAV

Reference Model for Interoperability of Autonomous Systems

This thesis proposes a reference model to describe the components of an Un-manned Air, Ground, Surface, or Underwater System (UxS), and the use of a single Interoperability Building Block to command, control, and get feedback from such vehicles. The importance and advantages of such a reference model, with a standard nomenclature and taxonomy, is shown. We overview the concepts of interoperability and some efforts to achieve common refer-ence models in other areas. We then present an overview of existing un-manned systems, their history, characteristics, classification, and missions. The concept of Interoperability Building Blocks (IBB) is introduced to describe standards, protocols, data models, and frameworks, and a large set of these are analyzed. A new and powerful reference model for UxS, named RAMP, is proposed, that describes the various components that a UxS may have. It is a hierarchical model with four levels, that describes the vehicle components, the datalink, and the ground segment. The reference model is validated by showing how it can be applied in various projects the author worked on. An example is given on how a single standard was capable of controlling a set of heterogeneous UAVs, USVs, and UGVs