The thesis Autonomous Sensor-Based Workspace Exploration for Eye-in-Hand System presents an integrated exploration system for high dimensional manipulator with a depth camera mounted to its end-effector. Starting in a partially known environment, the robot explores other unknown regions step by step until the knowledge of its work cell is maximized.

Like mobile robots, manipulators, especially home service robots, often encounter situations where they do not have models of objects and the work cell layout in advance. Autonomous mapping grows more necessary and important in robotics. Sensors are applied to help the robot know and understand the environment incrementally. Based on the sensed information, this thesis focuses on developing an exploration strategy which aims to expl...[ Read more ]

The thesis Autonomous Sensor-Based Workspace Exploration for Eye-in-Hand System presents an integrated exploration system for high dimensional manipulator with a depth camera mounted to its end-effector. Starting in a partially known environment, the robot explores other unknown regions step by step until the knowledge of its work cell is maximized.

Like mobile robots, manipulators, especially home service robots, often encounter situations where they do not have models of objects and the work cell layout in advance. Autonomous mapping grows more necessary and important in robotics. Sensors are applied to help the robot know and understand the environment incrementally. Based on the sensed information, this thesis focuses on developing an exploration strategy which aims to explore its entire work cell.

An experiment has been conducted with a Baxter robot and an Asus Xtion PRO Live sensor. A map of the robot's work cell has been constructed.