A New Robust Method for Mobile Robot Multifloor Navigation in Distributed Life Science Laboratories

Abstract

A new robust method is proposed for multifloor navigation in distributed Life Science Laboratories. This method proposes a solution for many technical issues including (a) mapping and localization with ceiling landmarks and a StarGazer module for achieving an accurate and low cost multifloor navigation system, (b) a new method for path planning to navigate across multiple floor environments called backbone method and embedded transportation management system, (c) elevator environment handler with the necessary procedures to interact with the elevator presenting a new approach for elevator entry button and internal buttons detection, and (d) communication system to get an expandable network; this method utilizes a TCP/IP network for the communication. Many experiments in real Life Science Laboratories proved the efficient performance of the developed multifloor navigation system in life science environment.

Grasping and Placing Operation for Labware Transportation in Life Science Laboratories using Mobile Robots

“…The H20 mobile robots use the Stargazer sensor with ceiling landmarks (see Fig. 3) for maneuvering between the adjacent labs (Hagisonic Company, Korea) [25]. This guidance system is not accurate enough and causes positioning errors in the range of ±3cm and ±2cm in the X and Y axes respectively in front of the workstation.…”

“…After grasping operation, the robot moves to the desired destination to place the labware on the required holder. The mobile robot transportation system has been realized using three main coding platforms which are the multifloor navigation system (MFNS) [25], the arm control system (ACS), and the object identification and localization system (OILS). These 3 systems are connected with each other through a asynchronous socket.…”

Recognition and Position Estimation for Multiple Labware Transportation Using Kinect V2 and Mobile Robots

“…5). The stargazer module is used to detect passive ceiling landmarks for mobile robot localization [22]. Moreover, any kind of changes in the Kinect position and orientation has to be avoided during the robot movements.…”

“…These platforms can communicate with each other in the system using client-server model. The labware recognition and localization part has been integrated and communicates with the multifloor navigation platform [22] and the arm manipulation platform. Using this communication model, these parts can exchange the orders and information between each other.…”

A Secure Automated Elevator Management System and Pressure Sensor based Floor Estimation for Indoor Mobile Robot Transportation

“…A multiple floor navigation system including mapping, indoor localization, path planning, an Internal Management Automated Door Controlling System, as well as the communication system, and Internal Battery Charging Management System has been reported earlier [22]. The MFS is integrated with the Elevator Handling System (EHS) to control elevator operation.…”