A Method of Location Estimation for an Outdoor Mobile Robot Using a Scene Image

Abstract

A method of location estimation for an outdoor mobile robot using a single scene image is proposed. To avoid obstacles, a camera is aimed upward. For location estimation, two top corners of a structure described in the map are utillized.
Camera angle values, i. e., elevation, bank, and heading, are also required to calculate location. These values can be evaluated by utilizing a vanishing point. This point is determined based on the horizontal movement of black pixels on slant edge lines and the parameterization of lines through limiting windows.
In the experiment, the location estimation error is less than 52 cm when camera-to-structure distance is about 35 m.