Perception for mobile agents

很少有智能系统不表现出移动性。但移动系统如何在移动时感知环境呢？我的研究项目调查与自主代理如何在环境中移动时感知环境相关的基本问题。这项研究计划从三个方向解决这个问题。首先，它考察了在三维世界中运行并配备被动传感器的自主机器人如何在移动时建立环境的3D模型。虽然在地面上操作的机器人可以使用强大的运动学模型来预测传感器读数将如何随着车辆的运动而变化，但在三维空间操作的机器人通常无法依赖这样的假设。这在一定程度上使估计机器人运动和构建地图的过程变得复杂。其次，这个研究项目着眼于当自主机器人无法依靠地平面来确定向上的方向并帮助提供里程估计时，它们如何估计自己在环境中的运动和方向。最后，这项研究计划着眼于如何最好地表现通过自主系统操作三个维度获得的大规模3D环境结构。这些与机器人在现实世界中以三维方式操作相关的基本问题的解决方案不仅将促进我们对自主系统的理解，还将为从理解珊瑚礁的腐烂到开发支持在犯罪现场调查中使用机器人的有效技术的广泛应用提供有效工具。

There are very few intelligent systems that do not exhibit mobility. But how do mobile systems manage to sense their environment while they move? My research program investigates fundamental issues related to how autonomous agents sense their environment as they move through it. This research program addresses this issue from three directions. First, it looks at how autonomous robots operating in a three dimensional world and equipped with passive sensors can build a 3D model of the environment as they move about. Whereas robots operating on the ground plane can use strong kinematic models to predict how sensor readings will change with vehicle motion, robots operating in three dimensions are typically unable to rely on such assumptions. This complicates somewhat the process of estimating robot motion and map construction. Second, this research program looks at how autonomous robots can estimate their motion and their orientation in their environment when they are unable to rely on a ground plane to define the direction of up and to help provide odometry estimates. Finally, this research program looks at how best to represent large scale 3D environmental structures obtained by autonomous systems operating the three dimensions. Solutions to these fundamental issues associated with robots operating in three dimensions in the real world will not only advance our understanding of autonomous systems but will also provide effective tools for a wide range of applications from understanding the decay of coral reefs to the development of effective technologies to support the use of robots in crime scene investigation.