• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2007

Under the situation of a fire, it is difficult for a rescue robot to use sensors such as vision sensor, ultrasonic sensor or laser distance sensor because of diffusion, refraction or block of light and sound by dense smoke. But, braille blocks that are installed for the visaully impaired at public places such as subway stations can be used as a map for autonomous mobile robot's localization and navigation. In this paper, we developed a laser sensor stan device which can detect braille blcoks in spite of dense smoke and integrated the device to the robot developed to carry out rescue mission in various hazardous disaster areas at KIST. We implemented MCL algorithm for robot's attitude estimation according to the scanned data and transformed a braille block map to a topological map and designed a nonlinear path tracking controller for autonomous navigation. From various simulations and experiments, we could verify that the developed laser sensor device and the proposed localization method are effective to autonomous tracking of braille blocks and the autonomous navigation robot system can be used for rescue under fire.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.162-167
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• 2003

In this paper, a novel feasible real-time system was researched for a differential driven wheeled autonomous mobile robot so that the mobile robot can move in a smooth, safe and elegant way. Least Square Minimum Path Planning was well used for the system to generate a smooth executable path for the mobile robot, and the point-to-point tracking algorithm was presented as well as its application in arbitrary path tracking. In order to make sure the robot can run elegantly and safely, trapezoidal speed was integrated into the point-to-point path tracking algorithm. The application to guest following for the autonomous mobile robot shows its wide application of the algorithm. The novel design was successfully proved to be feasible by our experiments on our mobile robot Interactive Robot Usher (IRU) in National University of Singapore.

• Journal of Auto-vehicle Safety Association
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.7-13
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• 2021

This paper presents an vulnerable road user (VRU) classification and tracking algorithm using vision and LiDAR sensor fusion method for urban autonomous driving. The classification and tracking for vulnerable road users such as pedestrian, bicycle, and motorcycle are essential for autonomous driving in complex urban environments. In this paper, a real-time object image detection algorithm called Yolo and object tracking algorithm from LiDAR point cloud are fused in the high level. The proposed algorithm consists of four parts. First, the object bounding boxes on the pixel coordinate, which is obtained from YOLO, are transformed into the local coordinate of subject vehicle using the homography matrix. Second, a LiDAR point cloud is clustered based on Euclidean distance and the clusters are associated using GNN. In addition, the states of clusters including position, heading angle, velocity and acceleration information are estimated using geometric model free approach (GMFA) in real-time. Finally, the each LiDAR track is matched with a vision track using angle information of transformed vision track and assigned a classification id. The proposed fusion algorithm is evaluated via real vehicle test in the urban environment.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2012

For autonomous navigation, map, pose tracking, and finding the shortest path are required. Because there is no GPS signal in indoor environment, the current position should be recognized in the 3D map by using image processing or something. In this paper, we explain 3D map creation technology by using depth camera like Kinect and pose tracking in 3D map by using 2D image taking from camera. In addition, the mechanism of avoiding obstacles is discussed.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.771-779
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• 2010

This paper presents a method that integrates the geometric path tracking and the obstacle avoidance for nonholonomic mobile robot. The mobile robot follows the path by moving through the turning radius given from the pure pursuit method which is the one of the geometric path tracking methods. And the obstacle generates the obstacle potential, from this potential, the virtual force is obtained. Therefore, the turning radius for avoiding the obstacle is calculated by proportional to the virtual force. By integrating the turning radius for avoiding the obstacle and the turning radius for following the path, the mobile robot follows the path and avoids the obstacle simultaneously. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through the real experiments for path tracking only, static obstacle avoidance, dynamic obstacle avoidance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.66-72
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• 2021

Since the behavior of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is influenced by disturbances and moments that are not accurately known, the depth control law of AUVs must have the ability to track the input signal and to reject disturbances simultaneously. Here, we proposed robust tracking control for controlling the depth of an AUV. An augmented closed-loop system is represented by an error dynamic equation, and we can easily show the asymptotic stability of the overall system by using a Lyapunov function. The robust tracking controller is consisted of the internal model of the command signal and a state feedback controller, and it has the ability to track the input signal and reject disturbances. The closed-loop control system is robust to parameter uncertainties. Simulation results showed the control performance of the robust tracking controller to be better than that of a P + PD controller.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.287-295
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• 2012

Purpose: Some of the most representative approaches are to apply next generation technologies to save energy consumption, fully automated control system to appropriately maintain environmental conditions, and autonomous assistance system to reduce labor load and ensure operator's safety. Nevertheless, improvement of upcoming method for soil cultured greenhouse has not been sufficiently achieved. Geometrical complexity of ground in protected crop cultivation might be one of the most dominant factors in design of autonomous vehicle. While there is a practical solution fairly enough to promise an accurate travelling, such as autonomous sprayer guided by rail or induction coil, for various reasons including the limitation of producer's budget, the previously developed sprayer has not been widely distributed to market. Methods: In this study, we developed an autonomous sprayer considering travelling performance on geometrical complexity of ground in soil cultured greenhouse. To maintain a stable travelling and to acquire a real time feedback, common wire with 80 mm thick and body frame and sprayer boom. To evaluate performance of the prototype, tracking performance, climbing performance and spraying boom's uniform leveling performance were individually evaluated by corresponding experimental tests. Results: The autonomous guidance system was proved to be sufficiently suitable for accurate linear traveling with RMS as lower than approximately 10 cm from designated path. Also the prototype could climb $10^{\circ}$ of ground's slope angle with 40 kg of water weight. Uniform leveling of spraying boom was successfully performed within $0.5^{\circ}$ of sprayer boom's slope. Conclusions: Considering more complex pathways and coarse ground conditions, evaluations and improvements of the prototype should be performed for promising reliability to commercialization.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2016

Autonomous vehicles must obey the traffic laws in order to drive actual roads. Traffic signs erected at the side of roads explain the road traffic information or regulations. Therefore, traffic sign recognition is necessary for the autonomous vehicles. In this paper, color characteristics are first considered to detect traffic sign candidates. Subsequently, we establish HOG (Histogram of Oriented Gradients) features from the detected candidate and recognize the traffic sign through a SVM (Support Vector Machine). However, owing to various circumstances, such as changes in weather and lighting, it is difficult to recognize the traffic signs robustly using only SVM. In order to solve this problem, we propose a tracking algorithm with RANSAC-based motion estimation. Using two-point motion estimation, inlier feature points within the traffic sign are selected and then the optimal motion is calculated with the inliers through a bundle adjustment. This approach greatly enhances the traffic sign recognition performance.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.61-70
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• 2009

An AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) is an unmanned underwater vessel to investigate sea environments and deep sea resource. To be completely autonomous, AUV must have the ability to home and dock to the launcher. In this paper, we consider a class of homing trajectory planning problem for an AUV with kinematic and tactical constraints in horizontal plane. Since the AUV under consideration has underactuated characteristics, trajectory for this kind of AUV must be designed considering the underactuated characteristics. Otherwise, the AUV cannot follow the trajectory. Proposed homing trajectory panning method that called VGM (Virtual Goal Method) based on visibility graph takes the underactated characteristics into consideration. And it guarantees shortest collision free trajectory. For tracking control, we propose a PD controller by simple guidance law. Finally, we validate the trajectory planning algorithm and tracking controller by numerical simulation and ocean engineering basin experiment in KORDI.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.155-162
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• 2003

We propose a new technique far real-tine controller design of a autonomous cruise mobile robot with three drive wheels. The proposed control scheme uses a Caussian function as a unit function in the fuzzy neural network. and a back propagation algorithm to train the fuzzy neural network controller in the framework of the specialized learning architecture. It is proposed a learning controller consisting of two neural network-fuzzy based on independent reasoning and a connection net with fixed weights to simply the neural networks-foray. The control performance of the proposed controller is illustrated by performing the computer simulation for trajectory tracking of the speed and azimuth of a autonomous cruise mobile robot driven by three independent wheels.