• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2003.11c
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• pp.830-835
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• 2003

This paper describes a sonic polygonal multiple reflection range sensor (SPMRS), which uses multiple reflection properties usually ignored in ultrasonic sensors as disturbances or noises. Targets such as a plane, corner, edge, or cylinder in indoor environments can easily be detected by the multiple reflection patterns obtained with a SPMRS system. Target classification and feature data extraction, such as distance and azimuth to the target, are computed simultaneously by considering the geometrical relationships between the detected targets, and finally the environment model is generated by refining the detected targets. In addition, the narrow field of view of a sonar range sensor is increased and the scanning time is reduced by active motion of the SPMRS stepping servomechanism.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.122-129
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• 2021

For the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) problem, a different path results in different SLAM results. Usually, SLAM follows a trail of input data. Active SLAM, which determines where to sense for the next step, can suggest a better path for a better SLAM result during the data acquisition step. In this paper, we will use reinforcement learning to find where to perceive. By assigning entire target area coverage to a goal and uncertainty as a negative reward, the reinforcement learning network finds an optimal path to minimize trajectory uncertainty and maximize map coverage. However, most active SLAM researches are performed in indoor or aerial environments where robots can move in every direction. In the urban environment, vehicles only can move following road structure and traffic rules. Graph structure can efficiently express road environment, considering crossroads and streets as nodes and edges, respectively. In this paper, we propose a novel method to find optimal SLAM path using graph structure and reinforcement learning technique.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.7 no.9
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• pp.783-789
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to build and to manage environment models with line segments from the sonar range data on obstacles in unknown and varied environments. The proposed method subsequently employs a two-stage data-transform process in order to extract environmental line segments from the range data on obstacles. In the first stage, the occupancy grid extracted from the range data is accumulated to a two-dimensional local histogram grid. In the second stage, a line histogram extracted from an local histogram gird is based on a Hough transform, and matching is a process of comparing each of the segments in the global line segments map against the line segments to detect similarity in overlap, orientation, and arrangement. Each of these tests is made by comparing one of the parameters in the segment representation. After the tests, new line segments are composed to the global line segments map. The proposed technique is illustrated by experiments in an indoor environment.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.898-902
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• 2015

Alternative radio-navigation technologies aim at providing continuous navigation solution even if one cannot use GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). In shadowing region such as indoor environment, GNSS signal is no longer available and the alternative navigation system should be used together with GNSS to provide seamless positioning. For soldiers in battlefield where GNSS signal is jammed or in street battle, the alternative navigation system should work without positioning infrastructure. Moreover, the radio-navigation system should have scalability as well as high accuracy performance. This paper presents a TWR (Two-Way-Ranging)-based cooperative positioning system (CPS) that does not require location infrastructure. It is assumed that some members of CPS can obtain GNSS-based position and they are called mobile anchors. Other members unable to receive GNSS signal compute their position using TWR measurements with mobile anchors and neighboring members. Error propagation in CPS is analytically studied in this paper. Error budget for TWR measurements is modeled first. Next, location error propagation in CPS is derived in terms of range errors. To represent the location error propagation in the CPS, Location Error Propagation Indicator (LEPI) is proposed in this paper. Simulation results show that location error of tags in CPS is mainly influenced by the number of hops from anchors to the tag to be positioned as well as the network geometry of CPS.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1226-1232
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• 2010

A door can serve as a feature for place classification and localization for navigation of a mobile robot in indoor environments. This paper proposes a door detection method based on the recognition of various door handles using the general Hough transform (GHT) and support vector machine (SVM). The contour and color histogram of a door handle extracted from the database are used in GHT and SVM, respectively. The door recognition scheme consists of four steps. The first step determines the region of interest (ROI) images defined by the color information and the environment around the door handle for stable recognition. In the second step, the door handle is recognized using the GHT method from the ROI image and the image patches are extracted from the position of the recognized door handle. In the third step, the extracted patch is classified whether it is the image patch of a door handle or not using the SVM classifier. The door position is probabilistically determined by the recognized door handle. Experimental results show that the proposed method can recognize various door handles and detect doors in a robust manner.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.308-316
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• 2013

This paper proposes an observation model for a particle filter-based localization using a sonar grid map. The proposed model estimates a predicted observation by considering the properties of a sonar sensor which has a large angular uncertainty. The proposed model searches a grid which has the highest probability to reflect a sonar beam using the following procedures; (1) the reliable area of a single sonar data is determined using the footprint association model; (2) the detection probability of each grid cell in a sonar beam coverage in estimated. The proposed model was applied to the particle filter based localization, and was verified by experiments in indoor environments.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2015.07a
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• pp.1298-1299
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• 2015

이동 로봇의 자기 위치 인식 방법으로 GPS를 많이 이용하지만 건물 내부공간에서는 위성신호 수신 장애가 있기 때문에 GPS 사용이 어렵다. 이에 대한 대안으로 다양한 형태의 실내 측위 기술에 관한 연구가 진행되어왔다. 최근에는 WiFi를 이용한 방법이 일부 상용화 되고 있으나 정밀도가 3~5m라는 한계가 있으며, LED 조명을 이용한 방법은 실용화 단계에 이르지는 못했지만 많은 연구가 진행되고 있다. 당 연구실에서도 LED조명을 기반으로 한 실내위치 인식 시스템을 개발하였으며, 지난 연구에서는 이를 이용한 이동로봇의 자율주행을 연구하였다. 본 연구에서는 지난 연구에 덧붙여 두개의 수신부를 이용하여 로봇의 방향인식오류 개선 및 이동 로봇의 자율주행을 보여주고자 한다. 제시된 시스템은 이동로봇, 조명제어장치 그리고 컴퓨터로 구성된다. 이동로봇은 상용화된 마이크로 마우스에 탑재된 조명신호 수신장치를 통하여 자신의 위치와 방향을 감지하며, 컴퓨터와의 Wi-Fi 통신으로 자신의 위치를 컴퓨터에 전송하거나 위치 명령을 수신한다. 컴퓨터에서는 수신 받은 이동로봇의 위치를 실시간으로 화면에 표시하며, 이동로봇에 전달할 위치명령을 사용자가 입력하는 기능을 제공한다. 사용자가 이동경로를 설정한 후 이동로봇으로 명령을 보내면 로봇은 자신의 위치와 목적지를 비교하며 자율주행을 하게 된다. 실험을 통하여 확인한 결과 지난연구의 방향인식의 문제점이 해결되어 제시된 시스템으로 실내공간에서도 이동로봇의 자율주행이 원만히 이루어짐을 확인하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.442-448
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• 2011

There are many research results about a self-localization technique of mobile robot. In this paper we present a self-localization technique based on the features of ceiling vision using a fisheye lens. The features obtained by SIFT(Scale Invariant Feature Transform) can be used to be matched between the previous image and the current image and then its optimal function is derived. The fisheye lens causes some distortion on its images naturally. So it must be calibrated by some algorithm. We here propose some methods for calibration of distorted images and design of a geometric fitness model. The proposed method is applied to laboratory and aile environment. We show its feasibility at some indoor environment.

• 한국HCI학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.02a
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• pp.355-361
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• 2006

In large scale environments like airport, museum, large warehouse and department store, autonomous mobile robots will play an important role in security and surveillance tasks. Robotic security guards will give the surveyed information of large scale environments and communicate with human operator with that kind of data such as if there is an object or not and a window is open. Both for visualization of information and as human machine interface for remote control, a 3D model can give much more useful information than the typical 2D maps used in many robotic applications today. It is easier to understandable and makes user feel like being in a location of robot so that user could interact with robot more naturally in a remote circumstance and see structures such as windows and doors that cannot be seen in a 2D model. In this paper we present our simple and easy to use method to obtain a 3D textured model. For expression of reality, we need to integrate the 3D models and real scenes. Most of other cases of 3D modeling method consist of two data acquisition devices. One for getting a 3D model and another for obtaining realistic textures. In this case, the former device would be 2D laser range-finder and the latter device would be common camera. Our algorithm consists of building a measurement-based 2D metric map which is acquired by laser range-finder, texture acquisition/stitching and texture-mapping to corresponding 3D model. The algorithm is implemented with laser sensor for obtaining 2D/3D metric map and two cameras for gathering texture. Our geometric 3D model consists of planes that model the floor and walls. The geometry of the planes is extracted from the 2D metric map data. Textures for the floor and walls are generated from the images captured by two 1394 cameras which have wide Field of View angle. Image stitching and image cutting process is used to generate textured images for corresponding with a 3D model. The algorithm is applied to 2 cases which are corridor and space that has the four wall like room of building. The generated 3D map model of indoor environment is shown with VRML format and can be viewed in a web browser with a VRML plug-in. The proposed algorithm can be applied to 3D model-based remote surveillance system through WWW.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.26-34
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• 2008

The information of traversability and path planning is essential for UGV(Unmanned Ground Vehicle) navigation. Such information can be obtained by analyzing 3D terrain. In this paper, we present the method of 3D terrain modeling with color information from a camera, precise distance information from a 2D Laser Range Finder(LRF) and wheel encoder information from mobile robot with less data. And also we present the method of 3B terrain modeling with the information from GPS/IMU and 2D LRF with less data. To fuse the color information from camera and distance information from 2D LRF, we obtain extrinsic parameters between a camera and LRF using planar pattern. We set up such a fused system on a mobile robot and make an experiment on indoor environment. And we make an experiment on outdoor environment to reconstruction 3D terrain with 2D LRF and GPS/IMU(Inertial Measurement Unit). The obtained 3D terrain model is based on points and requires large amount of data. To reduce the amount of data, we use cubic grid-based model instead of point-based model.