Walking robot and simultaneous localization and mapping method thereof

• US 8,873,831 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ahn, Sung Hwan, Roh, Kyung Shik, Yoon, Suk June, Hyung, Seung Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherali, Ishrat I
• Application Number:
  US13/326,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20120155775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382/153, 700/245, 700/250, 700/253, 700/259
• US Class Current: 382/153
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0248 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods

Abstract

A walking robot and a simultaneous localization and mapping method thereof in which odometry data acquired during movement of the walking robot are applied to image-based SLAM technology so as to improve accuracy and convergence of localization of the walking robot. The simultaneous localization and mapping method includes acquiring image data of a space about which the walking robot walks and rotational angle data of rotary joints relating to walking of the walking robot, calculating odometry data using kinematic data of respective links constituting the walking robot and the rotational angle data, and localizing the walking robot and mapping the space about which the walking robot walks using the image data and the odometry data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

acquiring image data of a space about which a walking robot walks and rotational angle data of rotary joints relating to walking of the walking robot;

calculating, by a computer, odometry data using kinematic data of respective links constituting the walking robot and the rotational angle data; and

localizing the walking robot and mapping the space about which the walking robot walks using the image data and the odometry data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the odometry data include position data and pose data of the walking robot with respect to a coordinate system, using a point where the walking robot starts to walk as an origin, in the space about which the walking robot walks.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rotary joints relating to walking of the walking robot include a plurality of rotary joints constituting hip joint units, knee joint units and ankle joint units.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the kinematic data of the respective links used in the calculation of the odometry data are kinematic data of respective links of a walking robot model from which feet and the ankle joint units are removed.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the localization of the walking robot and the mapping of the space about which the walking robot walks includes:

estimating position data and pose data of the walking robot and position data of a feature point using current acquired image data and the odometry data;

judging identity between a stored existing landmark and the feature point extracted from the current acquired image data; and

updating the estimated position data and pose data of the walking robot and the position data of the feature point registered as a landmark using position data of the existing landmark and the position data of the feature point extracted from the current acquired image data and matching with the existing landmark.

6. A method comprising:

acquiring image data of a space about which a walking robot walks, rotational angle data of rotary joints relating to walking of the walking robot, and inertial data of the walking robot;

calculating odometry data using kinematic data of respective links constituting the walking robot and the rotational angle data;

fusing the odometry data and the inertial data; and

localizing the walking robot and mapping the space about which the walking robot walks using the image data and the fused data.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the odometry data include position data and pose data of the walking robot with respect to a coordinate system, using a point where the walking robot starts to walk as an origin, in the space about which the walking robot walks.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the rotary joints relating to walking of the walking robot include a plurality of rotary joints constituting hip joint units, knee joint units and ankle joint units.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the kinematic data of the respective links used in the calculation of the odometry data are kinematic data of respective links of a walking robot model from which feet and the ankle joint units are removed.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the localization of the walking robot and the mapping of the space about which the walking robot walks includes:

estimating position data and pose data of the walking robot and position data of a feature point using current acquired image data and the fused data;

judging identity between a stored existing landmark and the feature point extracted from the current acquired image data; and

updating the estimated position data and pose data of the walking robot and the position data of the feature point registered as a landmark using position data of the existing landmark and the position data of the feature point extracted from the current acquired image data and matching with the existing landmark.

11. A walking robot comprising:

an image data acquisition unit to acquire image data of a space about which the walking robot walks;

rotational angle detection units to acquire rotational angle data of rotary joints relating to walking of the walking robot; and

a control unit to calculate odometry data using kinematic data of respective links constituting the walking robot and the rotational angle data and to localize the walking robot and map the space about which the walking robot walks using the image data and the odometry data.

12. The walking robot according to claim 11, wherein the odometry data include position data and pose data of the walking robot with respect to a coordinate system, using a point where the walking robot starts to walk as an origin, in the space about which the walking robot walks.

13. The walking robot according to claim 11, wherein the rotary joints relating to walking of the walking robot include a plurality of rotary joints constituting hip joint units, knee joint units and ankle joint units.

14. The walking robot according to claim 13, wherein the kinematic data of the respective links used in the calculation of the odometry data are kinematic data of respective links of a walking robot model from which feet and the ankle joint units are removed.

15. The walking robot according to claim 11, wherein the control unit estimates position data and pose data of the walking robot and position data of a feature point using current acquired image data and the odometry data, judges identity between a stored existing landmark and the feature point extracted from the current acquired image data, and updates the estimated position data and pose data of the walking robot and the position data of the feature point registered as a landmark using position data of the existing landmark and the position data of the feature point extracted from the current acquired image data and matching with the existing landmark.

16. A walking robot comprising:

an image data acquisition unit to acquire image data of a space about which the walking robot walks;

rotational angle detection units to acquire rotational angle data of rotary joints relating to walking of the walking robot;

an inertial sensor to measure inertial data of the walking robot; and

a control unit to calculate odometry data using kinematic data of respective links constituting the walking robot and the rotational angle data, to fuse the odometry data and the inertial data, and to localize the walking robot and map the space about which the walking robot walks using the image data and the fused data.

17. The walking robot according to claim 16, wherein the odometry data include position data and pose data of the walking robot with respect to a coordinate system, using a point where the walking robot starts to walk as an origin, in the space about which the walking robot walks.

18. The walking robot according to claim 16, wherein the rotary joints relating to walking of the walking robot include a plurality of rotary joints constituting hip joint units, knee joint units and ankle joint units.

19. The walking robot according to claim 18, wherein the kinematic data of the respective links used in the calculation of the odometry data are kinematic data of respective links of a walking robot model from which feet and the ankle joint units are removed.

20. The walking robot according to claim 16, wherein the control unit estimates position data and pose data of the walking robot and position data of a feature point using current acquired image data and the fused data, judges identity between a stored existing landmark and the feature point extracted from the current acquired image data, and updates the estimated position data and pose data of the walking robot and the position data of the feature point registered as a landmark using position data of the existing landmark and the position data of the feature point extracted from the current acquired image data and matching with the existing landmark.