Cooperative localization based on visually shared objects

Abstract

In this paper we describe a cooperative localization algorithm based on a modification of the Monte Carlo Localization algorithm where, when a robot detects it is lost, particles are spread not uniformly in the state space, but rather according to the information on the location of an object whose distance and bearing is measured by the lost robot. The object location is provided by other robots of the same team using explicit (wireless) communication. Results of application of the method to a team of real robots are presented. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.