Optimizing pyramid visibiliy coverage for autonomous robots in 3D environment

Abstract

This paper studies the optimal visibility coverage for autonomous robots in complex 3D environments. The perception sensor equipped on an inspection robot usually has a pyramid-shaped visible range with limited distance and angle. Finding the optimal pyramid visibility coverage for a given 3D region is NP hard; this paper presents an effective progressive integer linear programming algorithm to compute an approximate solution. Our framework allows the user to specify a coverage rate parameter to balance the percentage of visibility and the required guarding points for the given region. The algorithm is assessed in a simulated 3D pipeline environment and demonstrated promising for detecting leaks, clogs, and deformation of the pipes.