Pose Estimation of an Unknown Uncooperative Target Using LiDAR & Thermal Infrared Fusion

In recent years, researchers have proposed a variety of approaches to tackle the problem of orbital debris. Debris targets are diverse, and prior knowledge may be limited, with unknown uncooperative debris targets being the most challenging category. A crucial portion of any debris capture scenario is the observation phase during the approach....

Multi-feature-based Automatic Targetless Camera-LiDAR Extrinsic Calibration

In autonomous driving, environmental perception, crucial for navigation and decision-making, depends on integrating data from multiple sensors like cameras and LiDAR. Camera-LiDAR fusion combines detailed imagery with precise depth, improving environmental awareness. Effective data fusion requires accurate extrinsic calibration to align camera...

Indoor Localization with Multi-Rate Extended Kalman Filter: Based on Elisa-3 robot

Localization is one of the most fundamental competencies required by an autonomous robot, providing crucial information about its position for decision-making in indoor environments. In the current literature, an indoor localization system utilizes exteroceptive sensors such as GNSS(Global Navigation Satellite System), a camera, or an ultrasonic...

Cooperative Localization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles using ADS-B

As unmanned aerial systems (UAS) turn into a full-fledged industry, the sky will be much more crowded in the future. Large-scale UAV applications make reliable UAV navigation a pressing need. Traditionally, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) is extensively used as the primary positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) service. However,...

Sensor fusion for estimating joint kinematics and kinetics of biomechanical systems: Validation using a robotic manipulator

The study of human motion consists of the analysis of kinematics, dealing with joint angles, velocities and accelerations, and kinetics, which deals with joint torques and interaction forces. Traditionally, kinematics and kinetics are estimated from optical marker data and sometimes measured interaction forces. Inertial measurement units (IMUs)...

Learning Interactively to Resolve Ambiguity in Sensor Policy Fusion for Robot

This work applies interactive imitation learning for the navigation of a mobile robot. The algorithm"Learning Interactively to Resolve Ambiguity in Sensor Policy Fusion" (LIRA-SPF) is introduced in the field of machine learning for robot navigation. This algorithm extends on existing methods by allowing the ambiguity-free fusion of existing...

Extending Attitude Estimation Capability for Agile Precision Target Tracking NanoSats: Hardware Characterisation, Configuration Selection, and Gyro-Stellar based Unscented Calibration Filter Synthesis

Though NanoSats are becoming increasingly capable of featuring active payloads, and acquiring inertial data at arcsec level precision; the payload operational duty-cycle largely remains limited by its data downlink capabilities. NanoSat laser communication terminal (LCT) promises 1 Gbps data downlink capabilities. However, LEO to ground free...

Estimating 3D motion from radar data: Exploiting an omnidirectional radar array for motion estimation in the context of SAR imaging on agile platforms

Acquiring an accurate estimate of position is a challenging problem in coherent radar processing techniques such as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Even more so, for light and agile platforms such as multi-copters. Due to their unpredictable flight path, their motion must be accurately measured during data acquisition, and compensated for during...

Fault Tolerant Control of Multirotor UAV for Piloted Outdoor Flight

The thesis aims to develop a Fault Tolerant Control (FTC) architecture, for the case of a damaged actuator for a multirotor that can be applied across multirotor platforms based on their Attainable Virtual Control Set (AVCS). The research is aimed to study the AVCS and identify the parameters that limit the controllability of multirotor UAV post...

Drift-free Localization of Ship Hull Cleaning Robots on Flat Bottoms: A Sonar-based Framework

Fleet Cleaner B.V. is a Dutch company which deploys a wheeled hull-fixed Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to clean biofouling off the Vertical Sides (VSs) and the Flat Bottom (FB) of the hull of seagoing cargo vessels, while berthed at the harbour. To ensure maximal cleaning coverage, accurate localization to keep track of the robot trajectory on...