Mobile Robot Self Localization and 3D Map Building Using a 3D PMD-Camera for Tele-Robotic Applications

This work purposes using a 3D PMD camera as a sensor for mobile robot applications. The use of image sensors for environment detection is substantial and common usage in mobile robot exploration. Laser scanners, 3D stereo vision or a combination of them are be used generally. The PMD camera is a novel 3D measuring system, which is based on a time-of-flight principle. The main feature is an array sensor, which can measure the distance to the target without scanning. This relatively new technology offers a cost-effective alternative to the mentioned sensors. In the following we present methods for self-localization and 3D map building by remote sensor data acquisition. This allows the teleoperative control of a mobile robot in an unknown environment. To enhance the mobile robot tasks, a CCD and the PMD camera are registered in order to create the three dimensional mapping. The CCD texture data will be overlaid with the PMD depth data to increase the accuracy of the lateral resolution. The visual input from the CCD camera not only delivers high resolution texture data, it can also apply for object recognition in clutter environment.