Pipeline Landmark Detection for Autonomous Robot Navigation using Time-of-Flight Imagery

Abstract

3D imaging systems provide valuable information for autonomous robot navigation based on landmark detection in pipelines. This paper presents a method for using a time-of-flight (TOF) camera for detection and tracking of pipeline features such as junctions, bends and obstacles. Feature extraction is done by fitting a cylinder to images of the pipeline. Data in captured images appear to take a conic rather than cylindrical shape, and we adjust the geometric primitive accordingly. Pixels deviating from the estimated cylinder/cone fit are grouped into blobs. Blobs fulfilling constraints on shape and stability over time are then tracked. The usefulness of TOF imagery as a source for landmark detection and tracking in pipelines is evaluated by comparison to auxiliary measurements. Experiments using a model pipeline and a prototype robot show encouraging results. Pipeline Landmark Detection for Autonomous Robot Navigation using Time-of-Flight Imagery

Original document

The different versions of the original document can be found in:

• http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2431755

• https://sintef.brage.unit.no/sintef-xmlui/bitstream/11250/2431755/1/SINTEF%2bS7619.pdf

• http://xplorestaging.ieee.org/ielx5/4558053/4562948/04563167.pdf?arnumber=4563167,

http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/cvprw.2008.4563167

• https://dblp.uni-trier.de/db/conf/cvpr/cvprw2008.html#ThielemannBB08,

http://yadda.icm.edu.pl/yadda/element/bwmeta1.element.ieee-000004563167,

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4563167,

https://doi.org/10.1109/CVPRW.2008.4563167,

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4563167,

https://academic.microsoft.com/#/detail/2163571347