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A method for ego-motion estimation in micro-hovering platforms flying in very cluttered environments

A method for ego-motion estimation in micro-hovering platforms flying in very cluttered environments We aim at developing autonomous miniature hovering flying robots capable of navigating in unstructured GPS-denied environments. A major challenge is the miniaturization of the embedded sensors and processors that allow such platforms to fly by themselves. In this paper, we propose a novel ego-motion estimation algorithm for hovering robots equipped with inertial and optic-flow sensors that runs in real-time on a microcontroller and enables autonomous flight. Unlike many vision-based methods, this algorithm does not rely on feature tracking, structure estimation, additional distance sensors or assumptions about the environment. In this method, we introduce the translational optic-flow direction constraint, which uses the optic-flow direction but not its scale to correct for inertial sensor drift during changes of direction. This solution requires comparatively much simpler electronics and sensors and works in environments of any geometry. Here we describe the implementation and performance of the method on a hovering robot equipped with eight 0.65 g optic-flow sensors, and show that it can be used for closed-loop control of various motions. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Autonomous Robots Springer Journals

A method for ego-motion estimation in micro-hovering platforms flying in very cluttered environments

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References (66)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2015 by Springer Science+Business Media New York
Subject
Engineering; Robotics and Automation; Artificial Intelligence (incl. Robotics); Computer Imaging, Vision, Pattern Recognition and Graphics; Control, Robotics, Mechatronics
ISSN
0929-5593
eISSN
1573-7527
DOI
10.1007/s10514-015-9494-4
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

We aim at developing autonomous miniature hovering flying robots capable of navigating in unstructured GPS-denied environments. A major challenge is the miniaturization of the embedded sensors and processors that allow such platforms to fly by themselves. In this paper, we propose a novel ego-motion estimation algorithm for hovering robots equipped with inertial and optic-flow sensors that runs in real-time on a microcontroller and enables autonomous flight. Unlike many vision-based methods, this algorithm does not rely on feature tracking, structure estimation, additional distance sensors or assumptions about the environment. In this method, we introduce the translational optic-flow direction constraint, which uses the optic-flow direction but not its scale to correct for inertial sensor drift during changes of direction. This solution requires comparatively much simpler electronics and sensors and works in environments of any geometry. Here we describe the implementation and performance of the method on a hovering robot equipped with eight 0.65 g optic-flow sensors, and show that it can be used for closed-loop control of various motions.

Journal

Autonomous Robots – Springer Journals

Published: Sep 15, 2015

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