LPS: A Local Positioning System for Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Robot-Robot Teams, Robot-Human Teams, and Swarms

Abstract

Traditionally, localization systems for formation-keeping have required external references to a world frame, such as GPS or motion capture. Humans wishing to maintain formations with each other use visual line-of-sight, which is not possible in cluttered environments that may block their view. Our Local Positioning System (LPS) is based on ultra-wideband ranging devices and it enables teams of robots and humans to know their relative locations without line-of-sight. We demonstrate experimental results of our system by comparing it to a Vicon ground-truth system and by demonstrating that it is suitable for real-time use by allowing teams of robots to maintain formations with other robots and humans.