Robust projection method for a mobile robot with camera and projector based on a structured-environment approach

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss a mobile robot (Campro-RIS) that provides visual support for human activities by projecting information onto the surfaces of various objects in living spaces through a structured-environment approach. Campro-RIS employs a parallel two-wheeled vehicle system with a camera and a projector whose angle can be controlled with a pan/tilt actuator. By actively examining visual markers placed in the environment in advance, the robot projects distortion-free image information onto surfaces located at arbitrary distances and orientations even in extremely complex environments containing various objects. To precisely project the image onto the target location while simultaneously avoiding obstacles around the robot and staying within the pan/tilt actuator's movable range, we propose a robust projection control method built upon an image-based visual servoing technique based on actuator redundancy. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated in a two dimensional experimental system.