Environmental Map Generation for a Mobile Robot under Unknown Translational Robot Motions.

Abstract

We have designed several omnidirectional image sensors such as COPIS (COnic Projection Image Sensor) with a conical mirror and HyperOmni Vision with a hyperboloidal mirror, for navigating the robot in an environment. Described here is a method for generating an environmental map by using the Omnidirectional Image Sensor. Based on the assumption of translational motions of the robot, the proposed method can generate an environmental map and estimate egomotion of the robot. In particular, the method is suitable for map generation during long robot movement because deadlocking error of the robot does not accumulate. The method has been evaluated on a prototype of HyperOmni Vision in actual environment.