ROBOTICS

Using robotics as an autonomous crop-field monitoring system is a cost-effective solution for acquiring different images (e.g., RGB and infrared). Furthermore, the onboard autonomous intelligence helps optimize the robotic sensing activity by pre-processing the collected data, and deciding the navigation paths based on information such as visual markers (e.g., aruco/fiducial markers). However, a generic and cost-effective robotic solution autonomously navigating a rugged outdoor environment is still an open issue. Given these challenges, the OpenioT research group proposes to develop a ROS-based rover, based on existing open-source projects, to navigate and acquire images using a camera mounted on a 4 DoF robotic arm.

The goal of this project is to develop ROS modules that allow the JPL Open Source Rover (a 6-wheeled ROS-compatible mobile robot) to autonomously executed a pre-programmed trajectory (based on waypoints) and collect data using a camera (or other sensors) mounted on the 4 DoF arm, optimizing the pose of the robot arm and the robot.