Mobile robot localization using color signboard

Summary form only given. This paper proposes a localization method of indoor mobile robot using vision and color signboard. The color signboard is placed in the environment as landmark to decide the robot´s absolute position. The signboard is also attached to each robot for localization among robots. The color signboard is designed such that the robot can perform three key functions: the signboard detection, identification and localization. Autonomous navigation of mobile robots in wide area as well as cooperative operations requires many signboards with unique identification pattern. The color coding method allows us to make many distinct signboards. Several mobile robots hovering in the same environment may cause the unforeseen obstruction to the viewing of the signboards. Our color signboard allows the robot to verify its own position when the signboard is visible entirely in the field of view. The absolute positioning algorithm for mobile robot using the color signboard is described, where the vision and odometric dead reckoning information is combined by the extended Kalman filter.