2,854 research outputs found
SkiMap: An Efficient Mapping Framework for Robot Navigation
We present a novel mapping framework for robot navigation which features a
multi-level querying system capable to obtain rapidly representations as
diverse as a 3D voxel grid, a 2.5D height map and a 2D occupancy grid. These
are inherently embedded into a memory and time efficient core data structure
organized as a Tree of SkipLists. Compared to the well-known Octree
representation, our approach exhibits a better time efficiency, thanks to its
simple and highly parallelizable computational structure, and a similar memory
footprint when mapping large workspaces. Peculiarly within the realm of mapping
for robot navigation, our framework supports realtime erosion and
re-integration of measurements upon reception of optimized poses from the
sensor tracker, so as to improve continuously the accuracy of the map.Comment: Accepted by International Conference on Robotics and Automation
(ICRA) 2017. This is the submitted version. The final published version may
be slightly differen
RUR53: an Unmanned Ground Vehicle for Navigation, Recognition and Manipulation
This paper proposes RUR53: an Unmanned Ground Vehicle able to autonomously
navigate through, identify, and reach areas of interest; and there recognize,
localize, and manipulate work tools to perform complex manipulation tasks. The
proposed contribution includes a modular software architecture where each
module solves specific sub-tasks and that can be easily enlarged to satisfy new
requirements. Included indoor and outdoor tests demonstrate the capability of
the proposed system to autonomously detect a target object (a panel) and
precisely dock in front of it while avoiding obstacles. They show it can
autonomously recognize and manipulate target work tools (i.e., wrenches and
valve stems) to accomplish complex tasks (i.e., use a wrench to rotate a valve
stem). A specific case study is described where the proposed modular
architecture lets easy switch to a semi-teleoperated mode. The paper
exhaustively describes description of both the hardware and software setup of
RUR53, its performance when tests at the 2017 Mohamed Bin Zayed International
Robotics Challenge, and the lessons we learned when participating at this
competition, where we ranked third in the Gran Challenge in collaboration with
the Czech Technical University in Prague, the University of Pennsylvania, and
the University of Lincoln (UK).Comment: This article has been accepted for publication in Advanced Robotics,
published by Taylor & Franci
Control and communication systems for automated vehicles cooperation and coordination
Mención Internacional en el título de doctorThe technological advances in the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are exponentially
improving over the last century. The objective is to provide intelligent and innovative services
for the different modes of transportation, towards a better, safer, coordinated and smarter
transport networks. The Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) focus is divided into two
main categories; the first is to improve existing components of the transport networks, while
the second is to develop intelligent vehicles which facilitate the transportation process. Different
research efforts have been exerted to tackle various aspects in the fields of the automated
vehicles. Accordingly, this thesis is addressing the problem of multiple automated vehicles
cooperation and coordination. At first, 3DCoAutoSim driving simulator was developed
in Unity game engine and connected to Robot Operating System (ROS) framework and
Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO). 3DCoAutoSim is an abbreviation for "3D Simulator
for Cooperative Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Automated Vehicles
Simulator". 3DCoAutoSim was tested under different circumstances and conditions, afterward,
it was validated through carrying-out several controlled experiments and compare
the results against their counter reality experiments. The obtained results showed the efficiency
of the simulator to handle different situations, emulating real world vehicles. Next
is the development of the iCab platforms, which is an abbreviation for "Intelligent Campus
Automobile". The platforms are two electric golf-carts that were modified mechanically, electronically
and electrically towards the goal of automated driving. Each iCab was equipped
with several on-board embedded computers, perception sensors and auxiliary devices, in
order to execute the necessary actions for self-driving. Moreover, the platforms are capable
of several Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication schemes, applying three layers of
control, utilizing cooperation architecture for platooning, executing localization systems,
mapping systems, perception systems, and finally several planning systems. Hundreds of
experiments were carried-out for the validation of each system in the iCab platform. Results
proved the functionality of the platform to self-drive from one point to another with minimal
human intervention.Los avances tecnológicos en Sistemas Inteligentes de Transporte (ITS) han crecido de forma
exponencial durante el último siglo. El objetivo de estos avances es el de proveer de sistemas
innovadores e inteligentes para ser aplicados a los diferentes medios de transporte, con el fin
de conseguir un transporte mas eficiente, seguro, coordinado e inteligente. El foco de los ITS
se divide principalmente en dos categorías; la primera es la mejora de los componentes ya
existentes en las redes de transporte, mientras que la segunda es la de desarrollar vehículos
inteligentes que hagan más fácil y eficiente el transporte. Diferentes esfuerzos de investigación
se han llevado a cabo con el fin de solucionar los numerosos aspectos asociados con
la conducción autónoma. Esta tesis propone una solución para la cooperación y coordinación
de múltiples vehículos. Para ello, en primer lugar se desarrolló un simulador (3DCoAutoSim)
de conducción basado en el motor de juegos Unity, conectado al framework Robot Operating
System (ROS) y al simulador Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO). 3DCoAutoSim ha
sido probado en diferentes condiciones y circunstancias, para posteriormente validarlo con
resultados a través de varios experimentos reales controlados. Los resultados obtenidos
mostraron la eficiencia del simulador para manejar diferentes situaciones, emulando los
vehículos en el mundo real. En segundo lugar, se desarrolló la plataforma de investigación
Intelligent Campus Automobile (iCab), que consiste en dos carritos eléctricos de golf, que
fueron modificados eléctrica, mecánica y electrónicamente para darle capacidades autónomas.
Cada iCab se equipó con diferentes computadoras embebidas, sensores de percepción y
unidades auxiliares, con la finalidad de transformarlos en vehículos autónomos. Además,
se les han dado capacidad de comunicación multimodal (V2X), se les han aplicado tres
capas de control, incorporando una arquitectura de cooperación para operación en modo
tren, diferentes esquemas de localización, mapeado, percepción y planificación de rutas.
Innumerables experimentos han sido realizados para validar cada uno de los diferentes sistemas
incorporados. Los resultados prueban la funcionalidad de esta plataforma para realizar
conducción autónoma y cooperativa con mínima intervención humana.Programa Oficial de Doctorado en Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y AutomáticaPresidente: Francisco Javier Otamendi Fernández de la Puebla.- Secretario: Hanno Hildmann.- Vocal: Pietro Cerr
Inertial measurement unit modelling
Inerciální měřící jednotka (IMU) patří mezi základní senzorické vybavení současných mobilních robotů, kde se používá především pro odhadování ohamžité orientace robotu v prostoru. V této práci se komplexně zabývám simulací IMU v robotickém simulátoru Gazebo za účelem co nejvěrnějšího modelování odhadovaného úhlu natočení robotu, který je jedním z přímých výstupů IMU senzoru Bosch BNO055. Pro podporu vyhodnocení kvality IMU modelu vzhledem k reálným datům z BNO055 jsem navrhl a implementoval simulační prostřední v rámci Robotického Operačního Systému (ROS), které aproximuje zadanou trajektorii, uloží data ze simulovaného IMU a vygeneruje podklady pro vyhodnocení kvality IMU modelu vzhledem k reálným datům z BNO055. Na základě nejlepších dostupných IMU pluginů v Gazebu jsem implementoval dva URDF/SDF modely IMU sensoru, jejichž funkčnost byla následně ověřena řadou experimentů v simulátoru. Provedené simulace potvrdily funkčnost modelů a zároveň poukázaly na limity realističnosti současných pluginů v Gazebu a nastínily možnosti dalšího vývoje pro zvýšení věrnosti simulací IMU.The inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors are massively used in mobile service robots to provide orientation estimation. This thesis is concerned with modeling and simulation of IMU sensor in the robotics simulator Gazebo. The main goal of this thesis is to simulate the heading angle output of a real IMU sensor Bosch BNO055 with high fidelity. To enable the IMU model evaluation I designed and implmented a custom IMU simulation framework as a ROS package. This framework approximates the given trajectory with the help of a Gazebo simulation of a robot model with attached IMU sensor model, captures the simulated IMU output and generates data for the comparison concerning provided dataset measured by real BNO055. I used the best currently available IMU plugins to implement two different URDF/SDF IMU models. The simulations demonstrated the functionality of implemented IMU models, but also revealed the fidelity limitations of current IMU plugins in Gazebo, and led to a discussion about possible future improvements
Autonomous Sweet Pepper Harvesting for Protected Cropping Systems
In this letter, we present a new robotic harvester (Harvey) that can
autonomously harvest sweet pepper in protected cropping environments. Our
approach combines effective vision algorithms with a novel end-effector design
to enable successful harvesting of sweet peppers. Initial field trials in
protected cropping environments, with two cultivar, demonstrate the efficacy of
this approach achieving a 46% success rate for unmodified crop, and 58% for
modified crop. Furthermore, for the more favourable cultivar we were also able
to detach 90% of sweet peppers, indicating that improvements in the grasping
success rate would result in greatly improved harvesting performance
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