Use of computer vision for localization of a robotic wheelchair in an intelligent space

This paper describes the development of innovative software and hardware technologies in order to design a system capable of obtaining the pose of robotic wheelchairs through the use of cameras in fixed positions in the environment. Our intelligent space is able of obtaining information from the observed world using its sensors. Robot localization in the intelligent spaces is an essential task to provide a service to users while simplifying the technology embedded on the robot, moving the individual robot intelligence to the environment. The intelligent space is composed of two labs and the corridor between them, simulating a house. Eleven cameras are installed in the intelligent space with USB technology connected onto 11 TCP/IP servers. The identification of the robotic wheelchair in the intelligent space is done by localizing the beacons built with infrared LEDs and positioned on the robot. Thus, the localization algorithm can be simpler and faster. With the points obtained from the location, it is possible to reconstruct the 3D pose of the robotic wheelchair in the environment.