CENTRALIZED VISION -BASED CONTROLLER FOR UNMANNED GUIDED VEHICLE DETECTION ——————————————————————————————————————————————-————
Ravindra Thamma, Leela Mohan Kesireddy, Haoyu Wang · 2012
Traditional track-based Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) cannot deviate from their routes due to this track limitation in their navigation methods. Track limitation has to be overcome in order to render a UGV more flexible. It is desirable to have a UGV move without tracks and have the ability to deviate to and from routine routes in order to have flexibility in tasks. In this study, the authors proposed a nav- igation system to aid multiple UGVs in navigating to vari- ous locations without any physical tracks and without col- liding with one another. The authors demonstrated an image -recognition-based trackless navigation system to enhance the flexibility of multiple UGVs. To accomplish this feat, an image-recognition algorithm was developed to identify the position and orientation of multiple UGV's using a Central- ized Image-Based Controller Unit (CIBCU). This CIBCU is connected to a vision system and radio-frequency (RF) communicator. The CIBCU then implements the image- recognition algorithm, anti-collision and navigation algo- rithm, and centralized control center to track and navigate multiple UGVs without physical tracks. A prototype was developed to demonstrate and test the Vision-Based Naviga- tion System. Statistical analyses were carried out on this newly developed system in order to find behavior-of- positioning error.