A camera space control system for an automated forklift

A path following control of an unmanned autonomous forklift

“…Examples of the development of unmanned vehicles for industrial applications are the automation of a truck-loading task using an unmanned excavator [1] and the systematic synthesis for the construction of an autonomous vehicle for a mining task [2]. Particularly, several research results are found in the development of an automatic industrial forklift [3][4][5][8][9][10][14][15][16]. The works presented in [5,14] describe the development of a pallet engagement algorithm by using a vision system, while the work in [15] presents a different approach for localization and pick-up of the pallet by using a laser scanner.…”

“…The works presented in [5,14] describe the development of a pallet engagement algorithm by using a vision system, while the work in [15] presents a different approach for localization and pick-up of the pallet by using a laser scanner. The optimization techniques in using a vision system for the navigation of autonomous forklifts are presented in [4,9,14], while the work in [10] describes the development of a simulator for the optimization of multi-AGV operations in an industrial environment. Another work on the automation of a hot metal carrier, which is a forklift-type vehicle being used to move molten metal in aluminum smelters, is presented in [16].…”

Automatic visual guidance of a forklift engaging a pallet

“…Standard CSM has even been used to control a mobile manipulator, a miniature 'simulated' forklift [8,9]. However, standard CSM is ill-suited to control mobile manipulators since it is limited by the need to control the mobile system using stationary cameras, which severely limits the workspace of the mobile system.…”

“…While this method of trajectory generation does allow the forklift to engage the pallet, it is slow and impractical as the system must frequently stop and start. Pagès presents some experimental results, however as with Miller [9], the vehicle used was not an actual forklift but a small mobile robot with forks attached to the manipulator intended to simulate the motion of an actual forklift. The system presented in this paper differs in several respects.…”

<title>Nonholonomic camera-space manipulation using cameras mounted on a mobile base</title>

“…The alternative of "Camera-Space Manipulation," introduced in 1986 and subsequently developed, [1][2][3]7,14,[24][25][26][27][28][29] is highly effective in situations where, during maneuver execution, the participating, uncalibrated, wall-or tripodmounted cameras can reliably be counted upon to remain stationary between the time of visual access to the workpiece (prior to any blockage) and the time of maneuver culmination, and where the workpiece also remains stationary. CSM is especially useful where maneuver closure itself can cause significant obscuration to cameras of the visual error prior to maneuver culmination.…”