Publications by Kai Oliver Arras

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This paper discusses mobile robot localization by means of geometric features from a laser range finder and a CCD camera. The features are line segments from the laser scanner and vertical edges from the camera. Emphasis is put on sensor models with a strong physical basis. For both sensors, uncertainties in the calibration and measurement process are adequately modeled and propagated through the feature extractors. This yields observations with their first order covariance estimates which are passed to an

In this paper an approach for localization using geometric features from a 360 degree laser range finder and a monocular vision system is presented. Its practicability under conditions of continuous localization during motion in real-time (referred to as on-the-fly localization) is investigated in large-scale experiments. The features are infinite horizontal lines for the laser and vertical lines for the camera. They are extracted using physically well-grounded models for all sensors and passed to a Kalman

Progress in mobile robotics requires the researchers to access and improve all modules that compose the robot, from low-level mechanical components to high-level reasoning systems. This paper presents the development process of the robots built at the Autonomous Systems Lab, EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland. Starting from the mechanical and electrical design up to the application, we show the challenges that needed to be faced as well as the solutions that have been devised. The description covers aspects like th

In this paper we present a new probabilistic feature-based approach to multi-hypothesis global localization and pose tracking. Hypotheses are generated using a constraintbased search in the interpretation tree of possible localto-global pairings. This results in a set of robot location hypotheses of unbounded accuracy. For tracking, the same constraint-based technique is used. It performs track splitting as soon as location ambiguities arise from uncertainties and sensing. This yields a very robust localiza

In this paper a new localization approach combining the metric and topological paradigm is presented. The main idea is to connect local metric maps by means of a global topological map. This allows a compact environment model which does not require global metric consistency and permits both precision and robustness. The method uses a 360 degree laser scanner in order to extract lines for the metric localization and doors, discontinuities and hallways for the topological approach. The approach has been widel

Mobile robot localization deals with uncertain sensory information as well as uncertain data association. In this paper we present a probabilistic feature-based approach to global localization and pose tracking which explicitly addresses both problems. Location hypotheses are represented as Gaussian distributions. Hypotheses are found by a search in the tree of possible local-to-global feature associations, given a local map of observed features and a global map of the environment. During tree traversal, se

Starting from a user point of view the paper discusses the requirements of a development environment (operating system and programming language) for mechatronic systems, especially mobile robots. We argue that user requirements from research, education, ergonomics and applications impose a certain functionality on the embedded operating system and programming language, and that a deadline-driven real-time operating system helps to fulfil these requirements. A case study of the operating system XO/2, its pro

This paper presents a navigation framework which enables multiple mobile robots to attain individual goals, coordinate their actions and work safely and reliably in a highly dynamic environment. We give an overview of the framework architecture, its layering and the subsystems reactive obstacle avoidance, local path planning, global path planning, multi-robot planning and localization. The latter receives particular attention as the localization problem is a key issue for navigation in unmodified and diffic

In this paper a multisensor setup for localization consisting of a 360 degree laser range finder and a monocular vision system is presented. Its practicability under conditions of continuous localization during motion in real-time (referred to as on-the-fly localization) is investigated in large-scale experiments. The features in use are infinite horizontal lines for the laser and vertical lines for the camera providing an extremely compact environment representation. They are extracted using physically wel

The Review summarizes much of particle physics and cosmology. Using data from previous editions, plus 2,873 new measurements from 758 papers, we list, evaluate, and average measured properties of gauge bosons and the recently discovered Higgs boson, lepton ...

This paper presents the effort that has been undertaken in designing and building both hardware and software for a fully autonomous navigating vehicle aimed for a tour guide application. The challenge for such a project is to combine industrial high quality production for the mobile platforms with techniques for mobile robot navigation and interaction which are currently best available in academic research. For this the experience and technology of the Autonomous Systems Lab at EPFL has been extended with t

Diese Arbeit beschreibt einen Ansatz zur Lokalisierung von Mobilrobotern mittels der Kombination eines Laserscanners mit monokularem Video. Das Verfahren ist merkmalsbasiert und benutzt ein erweitertes Kalman filter (EKF) zur Datenfusion und Positionsschätzung. Die Umgebungsmerkmale sind Liniensegmente für den Laserscanner und vertikale Kanten für die Kamera. Physikalisch gut basierte Unsicherheitsmodelle beider Sensoren werden eingesetzt und bei Sensorkalibration und Merkmalsextraktion in Betracht gezogen.

In this paper we present an approach to obstacle avoidance and local path planning for polygonal robots. It decomposes the task into a model stage and a planning stage. The model stage accounts for robot shape and dynamics using a reduced dynamic window. The planning stage produces collision-free local paths with a velocity profile. We present an analytical solution to the distance to collision problem for polygonal robots, avoiding thus the use of look-up tables. The approach has been tested in simulation

In this paper a hierarchical multi-resolution approach allowing for high precision and distinctiveness is presented. The method combines topological and metric paradigm. The metric approach, based on the Kalman Filter, uses a new concept to avoid the problem of the drift in odometry. For the topological framework the fingerprint sequence approach is used. During the construction of the topological map, a communication between the two paradigms is established. The fingerprint used for topological navigation

This paper presents the genesis of RoboX. This tour guide robot has been built from the scratch based on the experience of the Autonomous Systems Lab. The production of 11 of those machines has been realized by a spin-off of the lab: BlueBotics SA. The goal was to maximize the autonomy and interactivity of the mobile platform while ensuring high robustness, security and performance. The result is an interactive moving machine which can operate in human environments and interacts by seeing humans, talking to

This paper presents the genesis of a tour guide robot, which has been built from the scratch based on the experience of the Autonomous Systems Lab. The production of 11 of those machines has been realized by a spin-off of the lab: BlueBotics SA. The goal was to maximize the autonomy and interactivity of the mobile platform while ensuring high robustness, security and performance. The result is an interactive moving machine named RoboX. RoboX can operate in human environments and interacts by seeing humans,

For roughly two decades a new generation of robots, robotic prostheses and implantable devices is about to arise accompanied by great optimism that they will widely pervade our daily life in a near future. This paper presents the results from a survey on the question if people want to share their life and body with robots. The survey, carried out in connection with the Robotics exhibition at the Swiss National Exhibition Expo.02, counts over 2000 participants. The questionnaire covers issues on robotics i

In this paper we present a multi-modal web interface for autonomous mobile robots. The purpose of this interface is twofold. It serves as a tool for task supervision for the researcher and task specification for the end-user. The applications envisaged are typical service scenarios like remote inspection, transportation tasks or tour guiding. Instead of post-processing a huge amount of data gathered and stored during operation, it is very desirable for the developer to monitor specific internal variables of

Kai Oliver Arras

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Improving Robustness and Precision in Mobile Robot Localization by Using Laser Range Finding and Monocular Vision

Multisensor On-the-Fly Localization: Precision and Reliability for Applications

A Complex Mechatronic System: from Design to Application

Feature-Based Multi-Hypothesis Localization and Tracking for Mobile Robots Using Geometric Constraints

An Hybrid Approach for Robust and Precise Mobile Robot Navigation with Compact Environment Modeling

Feature-based multi-hypothesis localization and tracking using geometric constraints

The Need for Autonomy and Real-Time in Mobile Robotics: A Case Study of XO/2 and Pygmalion

A Navigation Framework for Multiple Mobile Robots and its Application at the Expo.02 Exhibition

Multisensor On-the-Fly Localization Using Laser and Vision

REVIEW OF PARTICLE PHYSICS Particle Data Group

Building a Fully Autonomous Tour Guide Robot: Where Academic Research Meets Industry

Sensordatenfusion zur Robusten und präzisen EKF Lokalisierung von mobilen Robotern

Real-Time Obstacle Avoidance for Polygonal Robots with a Reduced Dynamic Window

Multi-resolution SLAM for Real World Navigation

Designing a Secure and Robust Mobile Interacting Robot for the Long Term

Design, Implementation and Exploitation of a New Fully Autonomous Tour Guide Robot

Do we want to share our lives and bodies with robots? A 2000 people survey

A Multi Modal Web Interface for Tasks Supervision and Specification

Feature-based robot navigation in known and unknown environments

A Navigation Framework for Multiple Mobile Robots and its Application