Slope Perception from Monoscopic Field Images: Applications to Mobile Robot Navigation

Zhen Xiang; Geb W Thomas; Kristopher M Thornburg; Nathalie Cabrol; Edmond Grin; Robert C Anderson

doi:10.1007/s10846-008-9281-y

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Slope Perception from Monoscopic Field Images: Applications to Mobile Robot Navigation

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Slope Perception from Monoscopic Field Images: Applications to Mobile Robot Navigation

Zhen Xiang, Geb W Thomas, Kristopher M Thornburg, Nathalie Cabrol, Edmond Grin and Robert C Anderson

Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems, Vol.54(4), pp.595-612

04/2009

DOI: 10.1007/s10846-008-9281-y

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Abstract

When remotely navigating a mobile robot, operators must estimate the slope of local terrain in order to avoid areas that are too steep to climb or that slope so steeply downward that the operator would lose control of the rover. Although many rovers are equipped with sensor systems to aid the operator in this task, it is sometimes necessary to estimate slopes from two-dimensional images, either when planning operations or when the operator wishes to monitor the results of a sensor system. This experiment compares the operator’s estimates of the slope in Martian terrain with the actual slope determined from three-dimensional data. The ten participants overestimated the slope of the indicated regions by an average of 19° (SD 16°). An analytic model of the error, based on psychophysical analysis, accurately predicts the average magnitude of the errors. Implementation of this model eliminates an average amount of participant error. However, the large estimate variance within and between participants and images still poses a challenge for accurate slope estimation.

Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Slope estimation

Slope perception model

Control , Robotics, Mechatronics

Slope perception

Image perception

Artificial Intelligence (incl. Robotics)

Robotic teleoperation

Electrical Engineering

Details

Title: Subtitle: Slope Perception from Monoscopic Field Images: Applications to Mobile Robot Navigation
Creators: Zhen Xiang - The University of Iowa Iowa City IA USA
Geb W Thomas - The University of Iowa Iowa City IA USA
Kristopher M Thornburg - The University of Iowa Iowa City IA USA
Nathalie Cabrol - NASA Ames/SETI Moffett Field CA USA
Edmond Grin - NASA Ames/SETI Moffett Field CA USA
Robert C Anderson - California Institute of Technology
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems, Vol.54(4), pp.595-612
Publisher: Springer Netherlands; Dordrecht
DOI: 10.1007/s10846-008-9281-y
ISSN: 0921-0296
eISSN: 1573-0409
Language: English
Date published: 04/2009
Academic Unit: Orthopedics and Rehabilitation; Industrial and Systems Engineering
Record Identifier: 9984040306202771

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