Multi block localization of multiple robots

Abstract

The multi block localization method for multiple robots using ultrasonic beacons provides a high accuracy solution using only low price sensors. To measure the distance of a mobile robot from a beacon, the mobile robot wakes up one beacon to send out the ultrasonic signal to measure the traveling time from the beacon to the mobile robot. When multiple robots are moving in the same block, it needs a scheduling to choose measuring-sequence in order to overcome ultrasonic signal interferences among robots at every time. But the increased time delay to estimate the positions for the multiple robots degrades the localization accuracy. This paper proposes an efficient localization algorithm for the multiple robots, where the robots are grouped into one master robot and the other slave robots. In this method, when a master robot calls a beacon, all the robots simultaneously receive the identical ultrasonic signal to estimate their positions. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.