Cooperative Localization for Multi-robot Incorporating Proprioceptive/Exteroceptive Position Sensors

Abstract

Summary. This paper presents a new method of cooperative localization for multiple robots utilizing correlation between GPS errors of common mode in shared workspace. Assuming that GPS data of individual robot are correlated strongly as the distance between robots are close, we utilize the differential position data between the robots to refine robot's position data. Under artificial environment for simulation with imposed model error to robot motion and GPS sensor data error, it is confirmed that the proposed method provides improved localization accuracy [9]. In addition, we present a practical solution to accumulated position error in traveling long distance. IntroductionMobile robots require capability to estimate their position in order to navi gate autonomously in their work space. Consequently, localization by sen sor-based method has been researched as one of the most essential prob lems in mobile robotics. In previous researches, a number of works on lo calization of single robot have been reported [1,2]. However recently, many robotic applications require that robots work in collaboration in common workspace to perform a task. In such tasks as multiple robots op erate in close, we need more precise absolute localization or relative local ization of multiple robots in order to avoid collisions with each other. The multiple robot system, in comparison with the single robot system, has the advantages of collecting and integrating multiple sensor data from dif ferent robots. Accordingly, the system can obtain better localization per formance and increase the robustness of the localization accuracy for each

Chapter 8: Robot Cooperation and Swarm Intelligence

“…The vehicles exchange their information about the positions of the rest of the group, then fuse it in order to obtain the global state of the system. In [50], Lee et al presented a cooperative localization method for a multi-robot system. They incorporated di↵erent sensors such as GPS, odometer and gyro sensor to localize absolute and relative position.…”