Johann Borenstein - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Johann Borenstein
This paper introduces a new approach to the design and control of a four-degree-of-freedom (4DOF)... more This paper introduces a new approach to the design and control of a four-degree-of-freedom (4DOF) vehicle. This vehicle can travel sideways and it can negotiate tight turns easily. Existing 4DOF vehicles have been found difficult to control 2. The compliant linkage because of their overcon-strained nature. These difficulties As explained above, the key element in any workable MDOF translate into severe wheel slippage or jerky motion under design must be the provision of mechanical compliance certain driving conditions. [Borenstein, 1992]. One possible kinematic design for an MDOF Our approach overcomes these difficulties by introducing vehicle is shown in Fig. 1.
This article presents two novel travel aids for blind pedestrians. The two computerized devices a... more This article presents two novel travel aids for blind pedestrians. The two computerized devices are based on advanced mobile robotics obstacle avoidance technologies. The first aid – the NavBelt – is worn by the user like a belt and is equipped with an array of ultrasonic sensors. It provides, via a set of stereo earphones, acoustic signals that guide the user around obstacles, or “displays” a virtual acoustic panoramic image of the traveler’s surroundings. One limitation of the NavBelt is that it is exceedingly difficult for the user to comprehend the guidance signals in time to allow fast walking. A newer device, called GuideCane effectively overcomes this problem. The GuideCane uses the same mobile robotics technology as the NavBelt but it is a wheeled device pushed ahead of the user via an attached cane. When the GuideCane detects an obstacle it steers around it. The user immediately feels this steering action and can follow the GuideCane’s new path easily and without any consci...
This paper presents an analysis of odometry errors in over-constrained mobile robots, that is, ve... more This paper presents an analysis of odometry errors in over-constrained mobile robots, that is, vehicles that have more independent motors than degrees of freedom. Examples of overconstrained vehicles are the various 6-wheeled Mars Rovers like Rocky-7, Rocky-8, or Fido. Based on our analysis we developed two novel measures aimed at reducing odometry errors. We also developed a novel method that serves as a framework for the implementation of the two new measures, as well as for other, conventional error reducing measures. One of the two new measures, called "Fewest Pulses Measure," makes use of the observation that most terrain irregularities, as well as wheel slip, result in an erroneous overcount of encoder pulses. The second new measure, called "Cross-coupled Control Measure," optimizes the motor control algorithm of the robot to reduce synchronization errors that would otherwise result in wheel slip with conventional controllers. The novel method that serves as a framework for other measures is based on so-called "Expert Rules." In this paper we formulate three expert rules aimed at reducing dead-reckoning errors. Two of these expert rules are related to the foregoing discussion on error reducing measures. The third expert rule adds a gyroscope to the system and we reexamine the effectiveness of the odometry error-reducing measures in the context of this addition. In the work described in this paper we modified a Pioneer AT skid-steer platform by providing it with four independent drive motors and encoders. We implemented our errorreducing measures and the expert rule method on this over-constrained platform and present experimental results. 1,2
's first mobile robot, has been in service since 1987. Since then, CARMEL has served as a reliabl... more 's first mobile robot, has been in service since 1987. Since then, CARMEL has served as a reliable testbed for countless sensor systems. In the extra "shelf" underneath the robot is an 8086 XT compatible single-board computer that runs U of M's ultrasonic sensor firing algorithm. Since this code was written in 1987, the computer has been booting up and running from floppy disk. The program was written in FORTH and was never altered; should anything ever go wrong with the floppy, it will take a computer historian to recover the code...
This paper describes the development of a fully autonomous or semi-autonomous hovering platform, ... more This paper describes the development of a fully autonomous or semi-autonomous hovering platform, capable of vertical lift-off and landing without a launcher, and capable of stationary hovering at one location. The idea to build such a model-sized aerial robot is not new; several other research institutes have been working on aerial robots based on commercially available, gasoline powered radio-control model helicopters. However, the aerial robot proposed here, called the HoverBot, has two distinguishing features: The HoverBot uses four rotor heads and four electric motors, making it whisper-quiet, easy-to-deploy, and even suitable for indoor applications. Special applications for the proposed HoverBot are inspection and surveillance tasks in nuclear power plants and waste storage facilities.
Proceedings of the 1994 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
A blind traveler walking through an unfamiliar environment, and a mobile robot navigating through... more A blind traveler walking through an unfamiliar environment, and a mobile robot navigating through a cluttered environment have an important feature in common: both have the kinematic ability to perform the motion, but are depended on a sensory system to detect and avoid obstacles. This paper describes the use of a mobile robot obstacle avoidance system as a guidance device for blind and visually impaired people. Just like electronic signals are sent to a mobile robot's motor controllers, auditory signals can guide the blind traveler around obstacles, or alternatively, they can provide an "acoustic image" of the surroundings. The concept has been implemented and tested in a new traveling aid for the blind, called the Navbelt. Experimental results of subjects traveling with the Navbelt in different surroundings are presented.
Proceedings 1995 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. Human Robot Interaction and Cooperative Robots
Proceedings of International Conference on Robotics and Automation
This paper introduces the GuideCane, a novel device designed to help blind or visually impaired t... more This paper introduces the GuideCane, a novel device designed to help blind or visually impaired travelers to navigate safely and quickly among obstacles and other hazards faced by blind pedestrians. The GuideCane, currently under development at the University of Michigan's Mobile Robotics Lab, comprises of a long handle and a "sensor head" unit that is attached at the distal end of the handle. The sensor head is mounted on a steerable but unpowered two-wheeled steering axle. During operation, the user pushes the lightweight GuideCane ahead of him/herself. Ultrasonic sensors mounted on the sensor head detect obstacles and steer the device around it. The user feels the steering command as a very noticeable physical force through the handle and is able to follow the GuideCane's path easily and without any conscious effort.
IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics
A new technique for the remote guidance of fast mobile robots has been developed and implemented.... more A new technique for the remote guidance of fast mobile robots has been developed and implemented. With this method, the mobile robot follows the general direction prescribed by an operator. However, if the robot encounters an obstacle, it autonomously avoids collision with that obstacle while trying to match the prescribed direction as closely as possible. This novel implementation of shared control is completely transparent and transfers control between teleoperation and autonomous obstacle avoidance gradually. Our method, called tele-autonomous operation, allows the operator to steer vehicles and robots at high speeds and in cluttered environments, even without visual contact.
IEEE Journal on Robotics and Automation
A mobile robot system, capable of performing various tasks for the physically disabled, has been ... more A mobile robot system, capable of performing various tasks for the physically disabled, has been developed. To avoid collision with unexpected obstacles, the mobile robot uses ultrasonic range finders for detection and mapping. The obstacle avoidance strategy used for this robot is described. Since this strategy depends heavily on the performance of the ultrasonic range finders, these sensors and the effect of their limitations on the obstacle avoidance algorithm are discussed in detail.
IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics
Many industrial applications require inspections and surveillance in hard-to-reach and sometimes ... more Many industrial applications require inspections and surveillance in hard-to-reach and sometimes even hazardous areas. A relatively new kind of robotic mechanism, called a "serpentine robot," may be able to provide a solution to some of these applications. Serpentine robots are slender, multi- segmented vehicles designed to provide greater mobility than conventional wheeled or tracked robots. This paper introduces one such
Proceedings of Tenth International Symposium on Intelligent Control, 2000
Figure 1: The work environment for SWAMI comprises of 91 cm wide aisles among long rows of 55 gal... more Figure 1: The work environment for SWAMI comprises of 91 cm wide aisles among long rows of 55 gallon steel drums. The drums are stacked up on wooden forklift pallets.
This paper presents a characterization study of the Sick LMS 200 laser scanner. A number of param... more This paper presents a characterization study of the Sick LMS 200 laser scanner. A number of parameters, such as operation time, data transfer rate, target surface properties, as well as the incidence angle, which may potentially affect the sensing performance, are investigated. A probabilistic range measurement model is built based on the experimental results. The paper also analyzes the mixed pixels problem of the scanner.
Proceedings Ieee International Conference on Robotics and Automation, May 19, 2008
ABSTRACT Serpentine robots are slender, multi-segmented vehicles designed to provide greater mobil-
Multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) vehicles have many potential advantages over conventional (i.e., 2... more Multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) vehicles have many potential advantages over conventional (i.e., 2-DOF) vehicles. For example, MDOF vehicles can travel sideways and they can negotiate tight turns more easily. In addition, some MDOF designs provide better payload capability, better traction, and improved static and dynamic stability. However, MDOF vehicles with more than three degrees-of-freedom are difficult to control b ecause of their
This paper introduces a new approach to the design and control of a four-degree-of-freedom (4DOF)... more This paper introduces a new approach to the design and control of a four-degree-of-freedom (4DOF) vehicle. This vehicle can travel sideways and it can negotiate tight turns easily. Existing 4DOF vehicles have been found difficult to control 2. The compliant linkage because of their overcon-strained nature. These difficulties As explained above, the key element in any workable MDOF translate into severe wheel slippage or jerky motion under design must be the provision of mechanical compliance certain driving conditions. [Borenstein, 1992]. One possible kinematic design for an MDOF Our approach overcomes these difficulties by introducing vehicle is shown in Fig. 1.
This article presents two novel travel aids for blind pedestrians. The two computerized devices a... more This article presents two novel travel aids for blind pedestrians. The two computerized devices are based on advanced mobile robotics obstacle avoidance technologies. The first aid – the NavBelt – is worn by the user like a belt and is equipped with an array of ultrasonic sensors. It provides, via a set of stereo earphones, acoustic signals that guide the user around obstacles, or “displays” a virtual acoustic panoramic image of the traveler’s surroundings. One limitation of the NavBelt is that it is exceedingly difficult for the user to comprehend the guidance signals in time to allow fast walking. A newer device, called GuideCane effectively overcomes this problem. The GuideCane uses the same mobile robotics technology as the NavBelt but it is a wheeled device pushed ahead of the user via an attached cane. When the GuideCane detects an obstacle it steers around it. The user immediately feels this steering action and can follow the GuideCane’s new path easily and without any consci...
This paper presents an analysis of odometry errors in over-constrained mobile robots, that is, ve... more This paper presents an analysis of odometry errors in over-constrained mobile robots, that is, vehicles that have more independent motors than degrees of freedom. Examples of overconstrained vehicles are the various 6-wheeled Mars Rovers like Rocky-7, Rocky-8, or Fido. Based on our analysis we developed two novel measures aimed at reducing odometry errors. We also developed a novel method that serves as a framework for the implementation of the two new measures, as well as for other, conventional error reducing measures. One of the two new measures, called "Fewest Pulses Measure," makes use of the observation that most terrain irregularities, as well as wheel slip, result in an erroneous overcount of encoder pulses. The second new measure, called "Cross-coupled Control Measure," optimizes the motor control algorithm of the robot to reduce synchronization errors that would otherwise result in wheel slip with conventional controllers. The novel method that serves as a framework for other measures is based on so-called "Expert Rules." In this paper we formulate three expert rules aimed at reducing dead-reckoning errors. Two of these expert rules are related to the foregoing discussion on error reducing measures. The third expert rule adds a gyroscope to the system and we reexamine the effectiveness of the odometry error-reducing measures in the context of this addition. In the work described in this paper we modified a Pioneer AT skid-steer platform by providing it with four independent drive motors and encoders. We implemented our errorreducing measures and the expert rule method on this over-constrained platform and present experimental results. 1,2
's first mobile robot, has been in service since 1987. Since then, CARMEL has served as a reliabl... more 's first mobile robot, has been in service since 1987. Since then, CARMEL has served as a reliable testbed for countless sensor systems. In the extra "shelf" underneath the robot is an 8086 XT compatible single-board computer that runs U of M's ultrasonic sensor firing algorithm. Since this code was written in 1987, the computer has been booting up and running from floppy disk. The program was written in FORTH and was never altered; should anything ever go wrong with the floppy, it will take a computer historian to recover the code...
This paper describes the development of a fully autonomous or semi-autonomous hovering platform, ... more This paper describes the development of a fully autonomous or semi-autonomous hovering platform, capable of vertical lift-off and landing without a launcher, and capable of stationary hovering at one location. The idea to build such a model-sized aerial robot is not new; several other research institutes have been working on aerial robots based on commercially available, gasoline powered radio-control model helicopters. However, the aerial robot proposed here, called the HoverBot, has two distinguishing features: The HoverBot uses four rotor heads and four electric motors, making it whisper-quiet, easy-to-deploy, and even suitable for indoor applications. Special applications for the proposed HoverBot are inspection and surveillance tasks in nuclear power plants and waste storage facilities.
Proceedings of the 1994 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
A blind traveler walking through an unfamiliar environment, and a mobile robot navigating through... more A blind traveler walking through an unfamiliar environment, and a mobile robot navigating through a cluttered environment have an important feature in common: both have the kinematic ability to perform the motion, but are depended on a sensory system to detect and avoid obstacles. This paper describes the use of a mobile robot obstacle avoidance system as a guidance device for blind and visually impaired people. Just like electronic signals are sent to a mobile robot's motor controllers, auditory signals can guide the blind traveler around obstacles, or alternatively, they can provide an "acoustic image" of the surroundings. The concept has been implemented and tested in a new traveling aid for the blind, called the Navbelt. Experimental results of subjects traveling with the Navbelt in different surroundings are presented.
Proceedings 1995 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. Human Robot Interaction and Cooperative Robots
Proceedings of International Conference on Robotics and Automation
This paper introduces the GuideCane, a novel device designed to help blind or visually impaired t... more This paper introduces the GuideCane, a novel device designed to help blind or visually impaired travelers to navigate safely and quickly among obstacles and other hazards faced by blind pedestrians. The GuideCane, currently under development at the University of Michigan's Mobile Robotics Lab, comprises of a long handle and a "sensor head" unit that is attached at the distal end of the handle. The sensor head is mounted on a steerable but unpowered two-wheeled steering axle. During operation, the user pushes the lightweight GuideCane ahead of him/herself. Ultrasonic sensors mounted on the sensor head detect obstacles and steer the device around it. The user feels the steering command as a very noticeable physical force through the handle and is able to follow the GuideCane's path easily and without any conscious effort.
IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics
A new technique for the remote guidance of fast mobile robots has been developed and implemented.... more A new technique for the remote guidance of fast mobile robots has been developed and implemented. With this method, the mobile robot follows the general direction prescribed by an operator. However, if the robot encounters an obstacle, it autonomously avoids collision with that obstacle while trying to match the prescribed direction as closely as possible. This novel implementation of shared control is completely transparent and transfers control between teleoperation and autonomous obstacle avoidance gradually. Our method, called tele-autonomous operation, allows the operator to steer vehicles and robots at high speeds and in cluttered environments, even without visual contact.
IEEE Journal on Robotics and Automation
A mobile robot system, capable of performing various tasks for the physically disabled, has been ... more A mobile robot system, capable of performing various tasks for the physically disabled, has been developed. To avoid collision with unexpected obstacles, the mobile robot uses ultrasonic range finders for detection and mapping. The obstacle avoidance strategy used for this robot is described. Since this strategy depends heavily on the performance of the ultrasonic range finders, these sensors and the effect of their limitations on the obstacle avoidance algorithm are discussed in detail.
IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics
Many industrial applications require inspections and surveillance in hard-to-reach and sometimes ... more Many industrial applications require inspections and surveillance in hard-to-reach and sometimes even hazardous areas. A relatively new kind of robotic mechanism, called a "serpentine robot," may be able to provide a solution to some of these applications. Serpentine robots are slender, multi- segmented vehicles designed to provide greater mobility than conventional wheeled or tracked robots. This paper introduces one such
Proceedings of Tenth International Symposium on Intelligent Control, 2000
Figure 1: The work environment for SWAMI comprises of 91 cm wide aisles among long rows of 55 gal... more Figure 1: The work environment for SWAMI comprises of 91 cm wide aisles among long rows of 55 gallon steel drums. The drums are stacked up on wooden forklift pallets.
This paper presents a characterization study of the Sick LMS 200 laser scanner. A number of param... more This paper presents a characterization study of the Sick LMS 200 laser scanner. A number of parameters, such as operation time, data transfer rate, target surface properties, as well as the incidence angle, which may potentially affect the sensing performance, are investigated. A probabilistic range measurement model is built based on the experimental results. The paper also analyzes the mixed pixels problem of the scanner.
Proceedings Ieee International Conference on Robotics and Automation, May 19, 2008
ABSTRACT Serpentine robots are slender, multi-segmented vehicles designed to provide greater mobil-
Multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) vehicles have many potential advantages over conventional (i.e., 2... more Multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) vehicles have many potential advantages over conventional (i.e., 2-DOF) vehicles. For example, MDOF vehicles can travel sideways and they can negotiate tight turns more easily. In addition, some MDOF designs provide better payload capability, better traction, and improved static and dynamic stability. However, MDOF vehicles with more than three degrees-of-freedom are difficult to control b ecause of their