Events Calendar

CS Colloquium and RASC seminar: Steven Waslander (University of Waterloo) - Gimballed multi-camera localization and mapping for aerial vehicles

Speaker: Steven Waslander, University of Waterloo

Talk Title: Gimballed multi-camera localization and mapping for aerial vehicles

Series: RASC Seminar Series

Abstract: This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Computer Science Research Colloquium.

Multi-camera clusters used for visual SLAM assume a fixed calibration between the cameras, which places many limitations on its performance, and directly excludes all configurations where a camera in the cluster is mounted to a moving component. We present a calibration method and SLAM solution for dynamic multi-camera clusters, where one or more of the cluster cameras is mounted to an actuated mechanism, such as a gimbal or robotic manipulator. Our approach parametrizes the actuated mechanism using the Denavit-Hartenberg convention, then determines the calibration parameters which allow for the estimation of the time varying extrinsic transformations between camera frames. We rely on joint encoder data or camera-attached IMU to identify the extrinsic transformations during operation, and are developing active calibration methods to automate the process in the field. We validate our calibration approach using a dynamic camera cluster consisting of a static camera and a camera mounted to a pan-tilt unit as well as on a four-camera system with a single three-axis gimballed unit on a hexacopter aerial vehicle, and demonstrate that dynamic camera clusters can be provide accurate pose tracking when used to perform SLAM.

Biography: Prof. Steven Waslander is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and director of the Waterloo Autonomous Vehicles Laboratory (WAVELab, http://wavelab.uwaterloo.ca). He received his B.Sc.E.in 1998 from Queen's University, his M.S. in 2002 and his Ph.D. in 2007, both from Stanford University in Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is the Program Co-Chair for the CIPPRS Computer and Robot Vision Conference, the Competition Chair for the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems and the former General Chair of the International Autonomous Robot Racing competition. His research interests lie in the areas of autonomous aerial and ground vehicles, autonomous driving, simultaneous localization and mapping, quadrotor vehicles, and machine learning. Prof. Waslander currently collaborates with numerous industrial partners, including Aeryon Labs, Clearpath Robotics, Nuvation Engineering, Denso, Renesas Electronics Corp, Qnx, and Applanix, and is a member of the NSERC Canadian Field Robotics Network. He also acts as the academic advisor to the University of Waterloo Robotics Team, which compete in multiple competitions, including the NASA Sample Return Robot Challenge, the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition and the University Rover Challenge.

Host: Gaurav Sukhatme

Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 217

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Assistant to CS chair