Localization for teams of autonomous ground vehicles

This thesis presents the progress of work toward creating a localization engine for a fleet of autonomous ground robots using ultra-wideband (UWB) beacons in concert with the robots’ on-board IMUs and encoders. The error observed from the uncorrected UWB ranges was quantified for line-of-sight conditions, and a calibration procedure was developed and applied for UWB range correction. Four localization approaches were implemented and tested on a ground robot in an outdoor environment. Dead reckoning was used as a localization baseline. An extended Kalman filter (EKF) using the manufacturer firmware’s calculated positions for the measurement input was implemented and resulted in a final pose error of 29 cm. A second EKF using calibrated ranges and least squares estimation (LSE) for state measurement was implemented and resulted in a final pose error of 26 cm. A third Kalman filter, using an experimental extension of a mesh relaxation technique for position estimate, was tested but found not to track the position of the robot well. Discussion of implementation experience and recommendations for future work are provided.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical & Computer Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2020

Author dc:creator

• Keiller, James

Contributors dc:contributor

• Norris, William R.
• Driggs-Campbell, Katherine R

• ultra-wideband
• localization
• robotics
• thesis

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2019 James Keiller

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/106270

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/106270