Robot Navigation Service

Merlin Robotics (www.merlinrobotics.co.uk) have created a new remote navigation system that allows a standard robot vacuum cleaner (IRoomba with wireless link for example) to navigate around large complex indoor spaces such as homes and offices without getting lost. Merlin will launch this service to customers 1st Qtr 2008. The navigation system currently requires a simple plan of the space to be navigated but future version will generate the plan automatically. The video shows the simple room plan and the programmed waypaints. The route is designed to demonstrate a path that cannot be achieved via dead-reckoning alone.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• robot
• cleaner
• vacuum
• navigation
• mobile
• home
• office

[aneuryzma]

is it orienting itself recognizing the objects in the room ? how does it work ???

[merlinlive]

The robot is able to navigate with just wheel encoder information and bump contact sensor information. We have developed an algorithm that uses this information to estimate the robot position. This will work with any robot with similar sensors...

[pepevilluela99]

What you state is not possible, unless something else is introduced in the environment. Odometry alone plus bumping information is not accurate enough to generate such precise trajectories and localization. Could you please confirm that?

[merlinlive]

Well, it depends on your definition of 'precise'. The system is precise enough to navigate around a series of rooms - in fact the more complex the room, the better the system works. It is not as good as a laser scanner SLAM approach. The system does require a map of the rooms as a starting point. The algorithm is continually guessing where the robot is based on all the information, usally seems to be accurate to within 30cm.

[Ultimape]

I would be interested in seeing the "tolerance" of the guesses. That is to say, the map on the left showing not only the best guess, but a ghosted image of possible guesses.

[pepevilluela99]

I see. I understand how it works now. Thanks

[bassanio78]

really cool, it seems working wery well.

[cltw666]

Is the map generated by SLAM? what type of path planning algorithm is it using?