Vision-based mobile robot learning and navigation

This research develops a vision-based learning mechanism for semi-autonomous mobile robot navigation. Laser-based localization, vision-based object detection and recognition, and route-based navigation techniques for a mobile robot have been integrated. Initially, the robot can localize itself in an indoor environment with its laser range finder. Then, a user can teleoperate the robot and point the objects of interest via a graphical user interface. In addition, the robot can automatically detect potential objects of interest. The objects are automatically recognized by the object recognition system using neural networks. If the robot cannot recognize an object, it asks the user to identify it. The user can ask the robot to navigate back autonomously to an object recognized or identified before. The human and robot can interact vocally via an integrated speech recognition and synthesis software component. The completed system has been successfully tested on a Pioneer 3-AT mobile robot.