Autonomous Mobile Carrier Robot with Perception and Docking for Elder and Handicap Care

• Main Authors: Kuan-Hsuan Huang, 黃冠軒
• Other Authors: Ren C. Luo
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/74984255524609362754

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 電機工程學研究所 === 103 === The objective of this paper is to describe the autonomous mobile carrier robot system with perception and docking for elder and handicap care. Mobile carrier robot is one of the most widely used applications in robotics. Nowadays, most of the carrier robots for industrial applications are autonomously guided by signs, magnetic lines or electrical wires marked on the ground. The robots would be unsuitable for domestic use or for highly uncertain labor environment, since it is difficult to set up the wires or signs in every environments where the robot works. The mobile carrier robot system for elder and handicap care is addressed in this thesis. The robot is able to autonomously carry a chair with an elderly person or a handicapped to desired place, aiding the person to move around. This kind of applications is helpful in domestic environment, or even for hospitals or nursing facilities. To reach this goal, problem of sensor perception and motion planning strategy is needed, making the robot without the need to follow markers or wires. In this paper, we developed map construction and navigation system based on Rao-Blackwellised particle filter and Monte Carlo localization. We also developed algorithms processing the signal from laser range finder and feature extraction methodologies of 3D data, so that the robot may detect and recognize the target autonomously with high stability and complete the carrying process. The thesis contains map building, localizing, perception system, motion planning and docking. With the algorithm and the data from both the laser range finder and the Xtion sensor, the carrier robot will be suitable to navigate through more versatile conditions. In this thesis, various algorithms for 3D perception and docking are developed, followed with experimental implementation and successfully demonstrated the proof of concept of the mobile carrier robot.