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Reliable Autonomous Reconnaissance System for a Tracked Robot in Multi-floor Indoor Environments with Stairs

다층 실내 환경에서 계단 극복이 가능한 궤도형 로봇의 신뢰성 있는 자율 주행 정찰 시스템

  • Juhyeong Roh (Robotics Program, KAIST) ;
  • Boseong Kim (Electrical Engineering, KAIST) ;
  • Dokyeong Kim (Division of Future Vehicle, KAIST) ;
  • Jihyeok Kim (Electrical Engineering, KAIST) ;
  • D. Hyunchul Shim (Electrical Engineering, KAIST)
  • Received : 2024.05.01
  • Accepted : 2024.05.21
  • Published : 2024.05.31

Abstract

This paper presents a robust autonomous navigation and reconnaissance system for tracked robots, designed to handle complex multi-floor indoor environments with stairs. We introduce a localization algorithm that adjusts scan matching parameters to robustly estimate positions and create maps in environments with scarce features, such as narrow rooms and staircases. Our system also features a path planning algorithm that calculates distance costs from surrounding obstacles, integrated with a specialized PID controller tuned to the robot's differential kinematics for collision-free navigation in confined spaces. The perception module leverages multi-image fusion and camera-LiDAR fusion to accurately detect and map the 3D positions of objects around the robot in real time. Through practical tests in real settings, we have verified that our system performs reliably. Based on this reliability, we expect that our research team's autonomous reconnaissance system will be practically utilized in actual disaster situations and environments that are difficult for humans to access, thereby making a significant contribution.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This project was financially supported by the Institute of Civil Military Technology Cooperation funded by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of Korean government under grant No.UM22206RD2.

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