Decentralized Sensor Fusion for Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Areas

Abstract

In this article we explain the architecture for the environment and sensors that has been built for the European project URUS (Ubiquitous Networking Robotics in Urban Sites), a project whose objective is to develop an adaptable network robot architecture for cooperation between network robots and human beings and/or the environment in urban areas. The project goal is to deploy a team of robots in an urban area to give a set of services to a user community. This paper addresses the sensor architecture devised for URUS and the type of robots and sensors used, including environment sensors and sensors onboard the robots. Furthermore, we also explain how sensor fusion takes place to achieve urban outdoor execution of robotic services. Finally some results of the project related to the sensor network are highlighted.

Analysis of Methods for Playing Human Robot Hide-and-Seek in a Simple Real World Urban Environment

“…The robot Dabo of the URUS project [11,12] has been used to play the hideand-seek game. Dabo has two on-board computers (Intel Core 2 Quad CPU @ 2.66 and 3.00 GHz with 4 GB RAM) that manage all the running processes and sensor signals, and a laptop is used for external monitoring.…”

“…All seeker methods have been tested in simulation and in real life experiments using a real robot (Tibi and Dabo [11,12]) against a human hider in a simple urban environment (see Figure 3). …”

Data fusion in ubiquitous networked robot systems for urban services

“…2); and a Wireless Sensor Network that uses the signal strength of the received messages from a mobile device to determine the position of a person carrying it. An architecture for urban robots networked with the environment has been developed [43]. This architecture provides a decisional layer and communication capabilities.…”

“…working Robotics in Urban Settings) [43] considers a team of mobile robots, a set of static cameras and a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) in a urban environment to offer urban services. All these elements can communicate through wireless links (using 3G and WiFi), and constitute an example of a system with Ubiquitous Networked Robots (UNR).…”

Multi-agent system for fast deployment of a guide robot in unknown environments

“…), and they demonstrated the use of their systems in large real field settings, such as science museums [14], and shopping malls [15], during long term exhibitions. In the same line, the URUS project [16] proposes to deploy a network of robots, sensors and other networked devices in wide urban areas (experimental setup of 10000 m 2 ), to interact with the people and to perform different tasks (information tasks, transportation, surveillance, etc.). Regretfully, none of these projects consider the efficiency of the "deployment" phase, probably because their systems are intended for long term operation in the same places, where the costs of the deployment are not critical.…”