New autonomous navigation technique: the vision system with single camera

Abstract

Deep space exploration has an important effect in science and national economy. Since the rambler used in deep space exploration is controlled by ground station, its slow response rate and walking speed will be a main trouble in deep space exploration. The technique of computer vision can be applied to autonomous navigation of a rambler, but as far as the present case is concerned, two cameras must be used simultaneously to record the image of the vision field. Through matching of two images, the height in every discrete point in vision field can then be determined according to some algorithm. However, the calculation of matching is so complex that the walking speed of the rambler has to be limited. This paper deals with the improvement of autonomous navigation technique in order that the rambler can walk rapidly. To that end, a new technique of rambler automatic navigation, combing laser with camera to substitute the function of image matching, is proposed in this paper: The laser beam scans the road inside the vision field of the camera and simultaneously, the camera takes photographs one after another. An algorithm is given in this paper to obtain the deepness data of spots in the field. A simulation example given in this paper demonstrates the feasibility of the technique and correctness of its algorithm and shows that this technique with its algorithm can decrease detection time obviously and identify the terrain of the vision field rapidly. So far, the rambler used in deep space exploration is controlled by ground station, its slow response rate and walking speed will be a main trouble in deep space exploration. The new vision system proposed in this paper capture the information about vision field by means the geometry relationship formed by laser, camera and laser spots and accordingly, can manipulate images fleetly. Combining with image reconstruction, this technique will enhance the speed of the automatic navigation greatly and find extensive application in deep space exploration.