A Novel Loosely Coupled Collaborative Localization Method Utilizing Integrated IMU-Aided Cameras for Multiple Autonomous Robots

IMUs (inertial measurement units) and cameras are popular sensors for autonomous localization due to their convenient integration. This article proposes a collaborative localization method, the CICEKF (collaborative IMU-aided camera extended Kalman filter), with a loosely coupled and two-step struct...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cheng Liu, Tao Wang, Zhi Li, Shu Li, Peng Tian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/10/3086
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850126983359365120
author Cheng Liu
Tao Wang
Zhi Li
Shu Li
Peng Tian
author_facet Cheng Liu
Tao Wang
Zhi Li
Shu Li
Peng Tian
author_sort Cheng Liu
collection DOAJ
description IMUs (inertial measurement units) and cameras are popular sensors for autonomous localization due to their convenient integration. This article proposes a collaborative localization method, the CICEKF (collaborative IMU-aided camera extended Kalman filter), with a loosely coupled and two-step structure for the autonomous locomotion estimation of collaborative robots. The first step is for single-robot localization estimation, fusing and connecting the IMU and visual measurement data on the velocity level, which can improve the robustness and adaptability of different visual measurement approaches without redesigning the visual optimization process. The second step is for estimating the relative configuration of multiple robots, which further fuses the individual motion information to estimate the relative translation and rotation reliably. The simulation and experiment demonstrate that both steps of the filter are capable of accomplishing locomotion estimation missions, standalone or collaboratively.
format Article
id doaj-art-4b6564dec89b4fdcaf845b048d2c2fde
institution OA Journals
issn 1424-8220
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Sensors
spelling doaj-art-4b6564dec89b4fdcaf845b048d2c2fde2025-08-20T02:33:48ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-05-012510308610.3390/s25103086A Novel Loosely Coupled Collaborative Localization Method Utilizing Integrated IMU-Aided Cameras for Multiple Autonomous RobotsCheng Liu0Tao Wang1Zhi Li2Shu Li3Peng Tian4State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Safety Protection, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Safety Protection, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Safety Protection, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaSchool of Electrical Engineering, Liaoning University of Technology, Jinzhou 121000, ChinaSchool of Information Science and Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 401100, ChinaIMUs (inertial measurement units) and cameras are popular sensors for autonomous localization due to their convenient integration. This article proposes a collaborative localization method, the CICEKF (collaborative IMU-aided camera extended Kalman filter), with a loosely coupled and two-step structure for the autonomous locomotion estimation of collaborative robots. The first step is for single-robot localization estimation, fusing and connecting the IMU and visual measurement data on the velocity level, which can improve the robustness and adaptability of different visual measurement approaches without redesigning the visual optimization process. The second step is for estimating the relative configuration of multiple robots, which further fuses the individual motion information to estimate the relative translation and rotation reliably. The simulation and experiment demonstrate that both steps of the filter are capable of accomplishing locomotion estimation missions, standalone or collaboratively.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/10/3086loosely coupled autonomous localizationvisual–inertial odometrymultiple robots collaborative localizationdata fusion
spellingShingle Cheng Liu
Tao Wang
Zhi Li
Shu Li
Peng Tian
A Novel Loosely Coupled Collaborative Localization Method Utilizing Integrated IMU-Aided Cameras for Multiple Autonomous Robots
Sensors
loosely coupled autonomous localization
visual–inertial odometry
multiple robots collaborative localization
data fusion
title A Novel Loosely Coupled Collaborative Localization Method Utilizing Integrated IMU-Aided Cameras for Multiple Autonomous Robots
title_full A Novel Loosely Coupled Collaborative Localization Method Utilizing Integrated IMU-Aided Cameras for Multiple Autonomous Robots
title_fullStr A Novel Loosely Coupled Collaborative Localization Method Utilizing Integrated IMU-Aided Cameras for Multiple Autonomous Robots
title_full_unstemmed A Novel Loosely Coupled Collaborative Localization Method Utilizing Integrated IMU-Aided Cameras for Multiple Autonomous Robots
title_short A Novel Loosely Coupled Collaborative Localization Method Utilizing Integrated IMU-Aided Cameras for Multiple Autonomous Robots
title_sort novel loosely coupled collaborative localization method utilizing integrated imu aided cameras for multiple autonomous robots
topic loosely coupled autonomous localization
visual–inertial odometry
multiple robots collaborative localization
data fusion
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/10/3086
work_keys_str_mv AT chengliu anovellooselycoupledcollaborativelocalizationmethodutilizingintegratedimuaidedcamerasformultipleautonomousrobots
AT taowang anovellooselycoupledcollaborativelocalizationmethodutilizingintegratedimuaidedcamerasformultipleautonomousrobots
AT zhili anovellooselycoupledcollaborativelocalizationmethodutilizingintegratedimuaidedcamerasformultipleautonomousrobots
AT shuli anovellooselycoupledcollaborativelocalizationmethodutilizingintegratedimuaidedcamerasformultipleautonomousrobots
AT pengtian anovellooselycoupledcollaborativelocalizationmethodutilizingintegratedimuaidedcamerasformultipleautonomousrobots
AT chengliu novellooselycoupledcollaborativelocalizationmethodutilizingintegratedimuaidedcamerasformultipleautonomousrobots
AT taowang novellooselycoupledcollaborativelocalizationmethodutilizingintegratedimuaidedcamerasformultipleautonomousrobots
AT zhili novellooselycoupledcollaborativelocalizationmethodutilizingintegratedimuaidedcamerasformultipleautonomousrobots
AT shuli novellooselycoupledcollaborativelocalizationmethodutilizingintegratedimuaidedcamerasformultipleautonomousrobots
AT pengtian novellooselycoupledcollaborativelocalizationmethodutilizingintegratedimuaidedcamerasformultipleautonomousrobots