Internet‐based operation of autonomous robots: The role of data replication, compression, bandwidth allocation and visualization

Abstract

Abstract The problem of remote‐controlling a mobile robot through the Internet with its associated bandwidth constraints is addressed in this paper. Our solution combines a novel communication and processing module with a unique sensor layout and a flexible control architecture to achieve a range of capabilities from traditional teleoperation to point‐and‐click autonomy. Careful management of the available bandwidth enables a demonstration of these capabilities between nodes with 20,000 km separation while also providing real‐time three‐dimensional (3D) models of the environment through the Internet. A spatially oriented compression algorithm, integral to efficient bandwidth management, is also presented. Experiments establish the effectiveness of the extended situational awareness in improving the efficiency and accuracy of driving a mobile robot through a cluttered environment over the existing 2D map or video streaming methods. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.