Autonomous Obstacle Avoidance and Control Using Voxel Segmentation of 3D Lidar Data

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to determine if a single 3D lidar sensor could provide enough data to conduct obstacle detection and avoidance for a small ground-based autonomous vehicle in an indoor environment. This work was based on previous Naval Postgraduate School work with simultaneous localization and mapping using a 2D lidar sensor and a 3D time of flight camera. A voxel-based point cloud filtering method was used to interpret data and classify objects as large, small, or negative. The data was then used as an input to a control algorithm using a potential field control model to navigate around the identified obstacles. The classification and control algorithm was proven successful through four separate experiments, and a definition for a small object was developed. Areas for future study were identified to include the development of a localization method using a single 3D lidar sensor, the implementation of the obstacle avoidance algorithm on an autonomous platform with six degrees of freedom, and the development of a path planning algorithm based on an initial point cloud.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2021
Accession Number
AD1164215

Entities

People

  • Justin T. Bracci

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Autonomous Navigation
  • Autonomous Systems
  • Autonomous Vehicles
  • Collision Avoidance
  • Computer Vision
  • Computers
  • Control Systems
  • Dead Reckoning
  • Guidance
  • Inertial Navigation
  • Motion Planning
  • Navigation
  • Operating Systems
  • Robot Navigation
  • Robots
  • Simultaneous Localization And Mapping
  • Three Dimensional
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Unmanned Vehicles

Readers

  • Atmospheric Remote Sensing.
  • Control Systems Engineering.
  • Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy