Robust mobile robot velocity estimation using redundant number of optical mice

This paper presents the robust velocity estimation of an omnidirectional mobile robot using a polygonal array of optical mice that are installed at the bottom of a mobile robot. First, the velocity kinematics from a mobile robot to an array of optical mice is derived as an overdetermined linear system. Second, the velocity of a mobile robot is estimated by the least squares solution, which is shown to the same as the simple average of the velocity measurements from optical mice. Third, the redundant number of optical mice is shown to contribute to the robustness of the proposed velocity estimation method against both measurement noises and partial malfunctions. Finally, experimental results are given to demonstrate the validity and performance of the proposed mobile robot velocity estimation scheme.