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Mobile Robotics and Olfaction Lab
Objective
The focus of our attention is on
perception systems for mobile robots.
Our goal is
to advance
the theoretical and practical foundations
that allow mobile robots to operate in an unconstrained, dynamic environment.
The approaches
that we develop
address real-world needs
and are typically characterized by fusion of different sensor modalities.
Where possible,
the results of our research work
are timely integrated in industrial demonstrators.
Research Focus
Our research is organized along two major strands
in the areas of mobile robotics and artificial olfaction.
Mobile Robotics
Our research in Mobile Robotics is aimed at
autonomous and safe long-term operation in real world scenarios.
Industrial relevance and technology transfer
is facilitated through collaborative projects with industrial partners
in the area of professional service robots for autonomous transportation ("logistics robots").
In our collaborative projects we develop
robotic forklifts in warehouses,
robotic wheel loaders on asphalt production sites,
underground mining vehicles,
service robots in airports
and robotic systems to unload containers.
Key projects:
AIR,
Semantic Robots,
SPENCER,
RobLog (ended),
SAUNA (ended),
ALLO (ended),
SAVIE (ended),
ALL-4-eHAM (ended),
MALTA (ended).
Artificial and Mobile Robot Olfaction
Artificial Olfaction is the science of gas sensing with artificial sensor systems.
We study in particular open sampling systems
where the gas sensors are directly exposed to the environment.
Open sampling systems are opposed to common laboratory setups,
which use sophisticated sampling systems to keep parameters such as
air flow, temperature, humidity and concentration of the chemical compound
constant over a prolonged time.
For most real-world applications this is not possible.
We address the corresponding challenges and aim to further develop systems
known as "electronic nose" (e-nose)
towards a "mobile nose" (m-nose).
By combining artificial olfaction and mobile robotics
we study the foundations for Mobile Robot Olfaction.
Application domains of interest include gas sensor networks and mobile robots for surveillance of landfill sites, monitoring of air pollution and gas leak detection and localization.
Key projects:
SmokeBot,
Gasbot (ended),
Diadem (ended),
Dustbot (ended).
Research Themes
Our research can be described by three partially overlapping research themes.
Rich 3D Perception
In this theme we consider algorithms
to create a consistent world model
from 3D data
augmented with additional information (these additional dimensions can include for example colour, reflectivity, temperature, semantic information, confidence, patterns of motion, social behaviours).
In particular,
we address
fusion of visual and range information,
efficient representations,
6DOF scan registration,
change detection and
loop closing
in 3D and rich 3D data.
Examples are shown in the slide on the right.
Robot Vision
Work in the Robot Vision theme concerns
appearance-based approaches to
localization,
topological mapping
and visual SLAM.
The basic modalities investigated are perspective and omni-directional cameras and 3D laser range-finders.
Examples are shown in the slide on the right.
Mobile Robot Olfaction
This theme is concerned with different aspects of airborne chemical sensing with mobile robots and sensor networks in unconstrained environments.
In particular,
we address
gas discrimination and quantification with open sampling systems,
statistical gas distribution modelling
and gas source localization.
Applications
Inspection Robots and Sensor Networks
We study gas-sensitive robots as dedicated inspection robots for e.g. support of disaster response or as mobile nodes in sensor networks for surveillance and monitoring. Our contributions relate to all research schemes mentioned above, mainly gas discrimination and quantification with open sampling systems, distribution modelling, gas source localization, sensor planning as well as work on general perception for inspection robots (fusion with vision, 3D and thermal sensing).
Examples are shown in the slide on the right.
Professional Service Robots for Autonomous Transportation
The integration of robotic solutions into industrial vehicles depends on the ability to achieve safe autonomous operation in dynamic, shared environments.
Related to this central goal,
we collaborate with numerous industrial partners and strive to integrate our research work timely in industrial demonstrators.
Our relevant research addresses localization, navigation, material handling (mobile manipulation), task and motion planning, obstacle avoidance and human-robot interaction in semi-structured, dynamic environments.
Examples are shown in the slide on the right.
People
The Mobile Robotics and Olfaction Lab is one of two research groups
within the Centre of Applied Autonomous Sensor Systems (AASS).
We are currently 27 highly motivated researchers (15 Ph.D. students, 12 senior researchers)
from 15 different countries.
Further details can be found under the item "People" in the menu on the left side of this page.
Industrial Partners
National: Atlas Copco,
Fotonic,
Kollmorgen Automation AB,
Linde Material Handling,
NCC,
Volvo CE
and
Volvo Trucks.
International: Berthold Vollers GmbH (Germany),
Qubiqa A/S (Denmark),
BlueBotics Inc. (Switzerland),
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (The Netherlands),
and
Clearpath Robotics.
Key Collaborative Projects
We are currently working in four collaborative projects (ordered by starting date):
- ILIAD
-
AIR - Action and Intention Recognition in Human Interaction with Autonomous Systems:
Apr 1, 2015 - Mar 31, 2019; funded by KKS (SIDUS).
-
SmokeBot - Mobile Robots with Novel Environmental Sensors for Inspection of Disaster Sites with Low Visibility:
Jan 1, 2015 - Jun 30, 2018; funded by the European Comission (EU H2020 RIA).
-
Semantic Robots:
Oct 1, 2014 - Sep 30, 2020; funded by KKS (Profile).
-
SPENCER - Social Situation-aware Perception and Action for Cognitive Robots:
Apr 1, 2013 - Mar 31, 2016; funded by the European Comission (EU 7FP IP).
-
SAVIE - Safe Autonomous Vehicles for Industrial Environments:
Mar 1, 2011 - Feb 28, 2014; funded by KKS and Robotdalen.
-
RobLog - Cognitive Robot for Automation of Logistic Processes:
Feb 1, 2011 - Jan 31, 2015; funded by the European Comission (EU 7FP IP).
-
SAUNA - Leading Edge Research in Safe Autonomous Navigation:
Jan 1, 2011 - Dec 31, 2013; funded by KKS.
-
Gasbot - Monitoring of Landfill Sites with a Gas-Sensitive Mobile Robot:
Jan 1, 2011 - Dec 31, 2013; funded by Robotdalen.
-
ALL-4-eHAM - Autonomous Wheel Loaders For Efficient Handling of Heterogeneous Materials:
Apr 1, 2009 - Mar 31, 2012; funded by KKS, Vinnova and Robotdalen.
-
HANDLE - Developmental Pathway Towards Autonomy and Dexterity in Robot In-Hand Manipulation:
Feb 1, 2009 - Jan 31, 2013; funded by the European Comission (EU 7FP IP).
-
Diadem - Distributed Information Acquisition and Decision-Making for Environmental Management:
Sep 1, 2008 - May 31, 2011; funded by the European Comission (EU 7FP STREP).
-
MALTA - Multiple Autonomous Forklifts for Loading and Transportation Applications:
Jan 1, 2008 - Dec 31, 2010; funded by KKS and Robotdalen.
-
Dustbot - Networked and Cooperating Robots for Urban Hygiene:
Dec 1, 2006 - Jan 30, 2010; funded by the funded by the European Comission (EU 6FP STREP).
Good Use Declaration
Regarding the intended applications that we target,
we feel indebted to the Uppsala Code of Ethics for Scientists.
Our aim is ultimately to free humans from dull and dangerous tasks
(as phrased by Norbert Wiener: "the human use of human beings")
and to understand perceptual, biological and physical processes through the help of robots.
We are aware that our results may have also other, less beneficial, applications
and therefore declare that it is strictly prohibited to use or to develop,
in a direct or indirect way,
any of our scientific contributions
by any army or armed group in the world,
for military purposes and for any other use which is against human rights or the environment.
Lab Leader
Achim J. Lilienthal