Self-Localization of Autonomous Sewer Robots by Using a Stereo Camera and a Laser Scanner

Sewer environment contains only a few features that are usable as landmarks for localization such as manholes and pipe joints. This research describes a method for autonomous sewer robots to navigate through a sewer pipe system based on detection of landmarks. In this method, locations of landmarks and autonomous sewer robots in the pipe system are computed by a laser scanner and stereo image data. The method is implemented and evaluated on a prototype robot platform operating in a dry sewer pipe test field