Infrared Visual SLAM Navigation Under Changing Light Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional visual SLAM systems for mobile devices face performance degradation under low or changing light conditions, and they struggle with maintaining reliable navigation over a multi-year service life due to issues like unbounded map file growth and high computational costs of incremental map updates.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a visual positioning system that uses a camera configured to detect infrared wavelengths, combined with flood and structured infrared illumination sources, coordinated by a processor to create a consistent exposure for localization and navigation across varying lighting conditions, allowing for the creation of a single visual SLAM map without prior exploration of the environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual SLAM systems use standard cameras for navigation, then the system is cost-effective and compact, but the system performance degrades under low or changing light conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating wavelength parameter of the camera to infrared, which allows the system to detect light in the infrared spectrum rather than visible light. This parameter change enables reliable navigation under varying lighting conditions including darkness, since infrared illumination can be provided independently of ambient visible light conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an infrared illumination source as an intermediary that provides infrared light to the environment. This mediator enables the infrared camera to capture sufficient light for SLAM operations regardless of visible light conditions, resolving the adaptability issue while maintaining camera-based cost effectiveness.
2Measurement precision
If visual SLAM systems use LIDAR for accurate navigation, then navigation precision is improved, but the system cost and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical LIDAR system with an optical-based visual SLAM system using infrared cameras. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical scanning components while achieving comparable navigation precision through image processing and feature matching algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of the imaging sensor to infrared, which provides better contrast and feature detectability in many environments compared to visible light cameras, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining the simplicity and low cost of camera-based systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If visual SLAM systems operate in unstructured environments with dynamic obstacles, then the system versatility is improved, but the computational cost and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic infrared illumination with synchronized camera exposure to efficiently capture environmental data. By coordinating the illumination cycles with camera shutter timing, the system minimizes unnecessary processing while maintaining accurate detection of dynamic obstacles in unstructured environments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables reliable navigation in diverse lighting conditions and extends the service life of visual SLAM systems by minimizing the impact of changing light sources and reducing computational costs through efficient map management.
Implementation Method 1
at least one camera configured to detect infrared wavelengths... at least one infrared illumination source
Data Source
AI summary
A visual positioning system for mobile devices includes at least one infrared camera, at least one infrared illumination source, and a processor that coordinates operation of the at least one camera and illumination sources. A flood IR infrared illumination source illuminates environmental objects for localization of the mobile device during a first camera exposure window, and a structured IR illumination source illuminate environmental objects for detection and mapping of obstacles during a second camera exposure window. A visual SLAM map is constructed with images obtained from a first camera, with a single map being useable for positioning and navigation across a variety of environmental lighting conditions. A method for training a robot includes receiving operator input signals configured to start and stop recording of defined routes during the guiding of the mobile robot along paths between different pairs of desired robot destinations, such that routes for subsequent use by the robot are generated for paths imaged while recording is active.