310 likes | 435 Views
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Video in Multi-Robot Search. Prasanna Velagapudi, Jijun Wang, Huadong Wang, Paul Scerri, Michael Lewis, Katia Sycara University of Pittsburgh Carnegie Mellon University. Urban Search and Rescue (USAR). Location and rescue of people in a structural collapse
E N D
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Video in Multi-Robot Search Prasanna Velagapudi, Jijun Wang, Huadong Wang, Paul Scerri, Michael Lewis, Katia Sycara University of Pittsburgh Carnegie Mellon University
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) • Location and rescue of people in a structural collapse • Urban disasters • Landslides • Earthquakes • Terrorism Credit: NIST
USAR Robots • Robots can help • Unstable voids • Mapping/clearing • Want them to be: • Small • Cheap • Plentiful Credit: NIST
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) • Now: One operator one robot • Directly teleoperated • Victim detection through synchronous video • Future: One operator many robots • Manufacturing robots is easy • Training operators is hard • Need to scale navigation and search
Synchronous Video • Most common form of camera teleoperation • High bandwidth • Low latency • Applications • Surveillance • Bomb disposal • Inspection iRobot PackBot
Synchronous Video • Does not scale with team size
Synchronous Video • Does not scale with team size
Synchronous Video • Does not scale with team size
Asynchronous Imagery • Inspired by planetary robotic solutions • Limited bandwidth • High latency • Multiple photographs from single location • Maximizes coverage • Can be mapped to virtual pan-tilt-zoom camera
Hypothesis • Asynchronicity may improve performance • Helps guarantee coverage • Can review images multiple times • Asynchronicity may reduce mental workload • Only navigation must be done in real-time • Search becomes self-paced
USARSim • Based on UnrealEngine2 • High-fidelity physics • “Realistic” rendering • Camera • Laser scanner (LIDAR) [http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/usarsim]
MrCSMulti-robot Control System Status Window Map Overview Video/ Image Viewer Waypoint Navigation Teleoperation
Experimental Conditions • Objective: • Find victims Mark victims on map • Control 4 robots • Waypoint control (primary) • Direct teleoperation • Explore the map • Map generated online w/ Occupancy Grid SLAM • Simulated laser scanners
Experimental Conditions 10 Victims
Streaming Mode Panorama Mode Panoramas stored for later viewing Streaming live video Experimental Conditions
Subjects • 21 paid participants • 9 male, 12 female • No prior experience with robot control • Frequent computer users: 71% • Played computers games > 1hr/week: 28%
Method • Written instructions • 15-20 min. training session • Both streaming and panoramas enabled • Encouraged to find and mark a victim • 20 min. testing session • 20 min. testing session
Metrics • Switching times • Number of victims • Thresholded accuracy
Panorama 6 Streaming 5 4 3 2 1 0 Within 0.75m Within 1m Within 1.5m Within 2m Accuracy Threshold Victims Found Average # of victims found
7 Panorama First 6 < 2m < 1.5m 5 4 < 2m 3 < 1.5m Streaming First 2 1 0 First Session Second Session Trial Order Interaction Average # of victims found
12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Number of Switches Switching Time (Streaming Mode) Average # of reported victims
12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Number of Switches Switching Time (Panorama Mode) Average # of reported victims
Conclusions • Streaming is better than panoramic • Perhaps not by as much as expected • Conditions favorable to streaming video • Similar asynchronous performance is good • May avoid forced pace switching • May scale with team size
Switch Time >> Comm. Latency Operator-induced latency Operator switch time # of robots
Victims Found • Repeated Measures ANOVA • 1.5m radius • F(1,19) = 8.038 • p = 0.01 • 2.0m radius • F(1,19) = 9.54 • p = 0.006
Trial Order Interaction • Repeated Measures ANOVA • 1.5m radius • F(1,19) = 7.34 • p = 0.014 • 2.0m radius • F(1,19) = 8.77 • p = 0.008
Switching Time • Streaming mode • Repeated Measures ANOVA • F(1,19) = 3.86 • p = 0.064 • Panorama mode • No relation found