Multi‐robot object tracking and docking systems based on networked control frames

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how, in order to fulfill the specific missions under some special environments without people participating, a multi‐robot object tracking and docking systems are designed based on networked control frames.

Design/methodology/approach

In the process of target recognition and tracking, the tracking robot obtains the target robot's position and poses information by means of multi‐sensors, and tracking the target robot uses a data fusion algorithm based on network‐delay. In the phase of docking, the exterior parameters of the CCD camera installed on the tracking robot can be calculated in‐phase by recognizing the coded target in a place on the target robot. Finally, the relative position and pose parameters between the tracking robot and the target robot can be derived using the coordinate rotation parameters.

Findings

The experiment results indicated that the relative position measure error is less than 1.5 percent, and the relative pose measure error less than 1° within 1.5‐10 m. The research results show that the system can actualize object tracing and docking missions accurately and timely.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is devoted to multi‐robot object tracking and docking systems.

Practical implications

The main applications are in the exploration in the seabed, consignment in the workshop, formation of spacecrafts, docking of spacecrafts, and so on.

Originality/value

The system can actualize object tracing and docking missions accurately, and the system is of reliable, real‐time, and robust capabilities. This will aid all developers and researchers to enhance their technicality.

Citation

Wen, F., Qu, Z. and Wang, C. (2010), "Multi‐robot object tracking and docking systems based on networked control frames", Kybernetes, Vol. 39 No. 8, pp. 1305-1312. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684921011063592