Acoustic imaging sonar can be used as important navigation sensors for underwater intervention systems as they consistently provide spatial information about the surrounding environment, even in limited visibility conditions. However, acoustic imaging sonars are known for high spatial ambiguity and low resolution of their measurements, which makes it challenging to obtain precise navigational information. This paper presents a novel localization method based on sensor fusion using an integrated IMU-DVL system and an acoustic imaging sonar. A sonar simulator is implemented and used to estimate the pose of the robot based on a single acoustic image, and it is formulated as an image alignment problem between a simulated acoustic image and an actual acoustic image. For this, an approximate nearest neighbor search method is employed for initial pose estimation, and a newly developed acoustic image alignment method is applied to obtain more accurate results in a continuous pose space. These methods are then combined to construct an integrated localization system using all the navigation sensors on the robot. Its feasibility and utility of the proposed approach is shown through an experimental validation in a test tank.
Optical and acoustic stereo imaging has great potential for the precise
and consistent localization of intervention underwater robots; however,
it is still being explored due to its sensing limitations and various
technical challenges. This study presents a novel localization method by
combining an inertial navigation system and an optical and acoustic
stereo imaging system. As a strategy for localization correction
relative to underwater structures, the robot’s pose is estimated based
on a single acoustic image using a sonar simulator for mid-range
localization, and a robust visual tracking using a 3-D wireframe model
is employed for high-precision localization near the target structures.
The performance of the proposed technique was demonstrated through
experimental validation using real data obtained from a test tank.
Optical and acoustic stereo imaging has great potential for the precise and consistent localization of intervention underwater robots; however, it is still being explored due to its sensing limitations and various technical challenges. This study presents a novel localization method by combining an inertial navigation system and an optical and acoustic stereo imaging system. As a strategy for localization correction relative to underwater structures, the robot's pose is estimated based on a single acoustic image using a sonar simulator for mid-range localization, and a robust visual tracking using a 3-D wireframe model is employed for high-precision localization near the target structures. The performance of the proposed technique was demonstrated through experimental validation using real data obtained from a test tank.
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