Pose estimation of servo-brake-controlled caster units arbitrarily located on a mobile base

In this paper, we propose a method to estimate the geometrical relationships between servo-brake-controlled caster units arbitrarily located on a moving base. The method utilizes only the velocity information of each caster unit and recursively estimates the pose of the caster units by the extended Kalman filter. In the state estimation problem, the estimation performance depends on the quality of the input signals. The input signals must contain sufficiently rich information to appropriately estimate the states. Since the system controlled by servo brakes is driven by a user-applied force, the user can arbitrarily select the input signals of velocity information. Therefore, we also suggest a simple pattern that enables users to provide sufficiently rich information for relationship estimates. Finally, the proposed method is validated in a computer simulation and an experiment using a mobile robot platform equipped with double-wheel caster units.

[1]  Yasuhisa Hirata,et al.  Handling of a Single Object by Multiple Mobile Manipulators in Cooperation with Human Based on Virtual 3-D Caster Dynamics , 2005 .

[2]  Oussama Khatib,et al.  Mobile manipulation: The robotic assistant , 1999, Robotics Auton. Syst..

[3]  Liqiang Feng,et al.  Measurement and correction of systematic odometry errors in mobile robots , 1996, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[4]  Tamio Tanikawa,et al.  Parameter identification for an omni-directional mobile system with distributed mobile actuator module , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Conference on Multisensor Fusion and Integration for Intelligent Systems.

[5]  Kazuhiro Kosuge,et al.  Motion Control of Passive Intelligent Walker Using Servo Brakes , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

[6]  Fumio Kanehiro,et al.  Cooperative works by a human and a humanoid robot , 2003, 2003 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.03CH37422).

[7]  Kazuhiro Kosuge,et al.  Estimation of position and orientation of multiple robots handling an unknown single object in coordination , 1999, Proceedings 1999 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. Human and Environment Friendly Robots with High Intelligence and Emotional Quotients (Cat. No.99CH36289).

[8]  Kazuhiro Kosuge,et al.  Development of passive type double wheel caster unit based on analysis of feasible braking force and moment set , 2011, 2011 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

[9]  Petros G. Voulgaris,et al.  On optimal ℓ∞ to ℓ∞ filtering , 1995, Autom..

[10]  Kazuhiro Kosuge,et al.  Decentralized control of multiple manipulators handling an object in coordination based on impedance control of each arm , 1997, Proceedings of the 1997 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robot and Systems. Innovative Robotics for Real-World Applications. IROS '97.

[11]  Kazuhiro Kosuge,et al.  Handling of a single object by multiple autonomous mobile robots in coordination with body force sensor , 1998, Proceedings. 1998 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. Innovations in Theory, Practice and Applications (Cat. No.98CH36190).

[12]  Kazuhiro Kosuge,et al.  Transporting an Object by a Passive Mobile Robot with Servo Brakes in Cooperation with a Human , 2009, Adv. Robotics.

[13]  Gianluca Antonelli,et al.  A calibration method for odometry of mobile robots based on the least-squares technique: theory and experimental validation , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

[14]  J. Edward Colgate,et al.  Passive Robotics: An Exploration of Mechanical Computation , 1990, 1990 American Control Conference.