A Localization System Solely Based on Vision for Autonomous Lawnmowers

The navigation systems of commercially available autonomous lawnmowers rely on sensors measuring the magnetic field created by a perimeter wire. Some experimental systems rely on even more expensive sensing devices, like differential GPS or laser tracking systems that help locate the mowers exactly within a yard, but are considered too expensive for a domestic robot. Knowing a mower’s exact position will allow for much advancement in lawn care and maintenance. For example, improved cutting quality and reduced cutting time. The navigation system that we propose requires only a standard web camera and the existence of some landmarks visually recognisable. The key idea is to induce the absolute positions of the landmarks from apparent angles derived from panoramic views taken from a few observation points. In this paper, the localization system is fully described and its accuracy is demonstrated in simulation.