Visual Search of an Object in Cluttered Environments for Robotic Errand Service

Object search is a basic function of a service robot. Previous approaches focus on cases where objects are lying out in the open, which transform object search into active visual search. However, in real life, objects may be behind cupboards occluded by other objects, instead of conveniently lying on a table by themselves. We present a searching method that uses object information, spatial constraints and Bayes probability calculation to handle problems such as occlusion while searching in a clutter environment.