IMU-based localization and slip estimation for skid-steered mobile robots

Localization and wheel slip estimation of a skid- steered mobile robot is challenging because of the complex wheel/ground interactions and kinematics constraints. In this paper, we present a localization and slip estimation scheme for a skid-steered mobile robot using low-cost inertial measurement units (IMU). We first analyze the kinematics of the skid-steered mobile robot and present a nonlinear Kalman filter (KF)- based simultaneous localization and slip estimation scheme. The KF-based localization design incorporates the wheel slip estimation and utilizes robot velocity constraints and estimates to overcome the large drift resulting from the integration of the IMU acceleration measurements. The estimation methodology is tested and validated experimentally with a computer vision- based localization system.

[1]  Karl Iagnemma,et al.  Model-Based Wheel Slip Detection for Outdoor Mobile Robots , 2007, Proceedings 2007 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[2]  Pietro Perona,et al.  Slip Prediction Using Visual Information , 2006, Robotics: Science and Systems.

[3]  Hugh F. Durrant-Whyte,et al.  Estimation of track-soil interactions for autonomous tracked vehicles , 1997, Proceedings of International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[4]  Jo Yung Wong,et al.  Theory of ground vehicles , 1978 .

[5]  Dezhen Song,et al.  Adaptive Trajectory Tracking Control of Skid-Steered Mobile Robots , 2007, Proceedings 2007 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[6]  Salvador Pedraza,et al.  Approximating Kinematics for Tracked Mobile Robots , 2005, Int. J. Robotics Res..

[7]  M. Kitano,et al.  An analysis of horizontal plane motion of tracked vehicles , 1977 .

[8]  Kostas J. Kyriakopoulos,et al.  A dead-reckoning scheme for skid-steered vehicles in outdoor environments , 2004, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2004. Proceedings. ICRA '04. 2004.

[9]  Kaspar Althoefer,et al.  Non-linear observer for slip estimation of skid-steering vehicles , 2006, Proceedings 2006 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2006. ICRA 2006..

[10]  J. Borenstein,et al.  Current-Based Slippage Detection and Odometry Correction for Mobile Robots and Planetary Rovers , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

[11]  Johann Borenstein,et al.  Methods for the Reduction of Odometry Errors in Over-Constrained Mobile Robots , 2004, Auton. Robots.

[12]  Hugh F. Durrant-Whyte,et al.  The aiding of a low-cost strapdown inertial measurement unit using vehicle model constraints for land vehicle applications , 2001, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[13]  J Y Wong,et al.  A general theory for skid steering of tracked vehicles on firm ground , 2001 .