ARTISAN: An Integrated Scene Mapping and Object Recognition System

Integration of three-dimensional textured scene mapping and object recognition presents many opportunities for assisted automation. We present Artisan, a software package that synthesizes these elements to form a user-friendly whole. Artisan uses a variety of 3D sensors, including laser range scanners and stereo systems, to acquire both image and range data. Artisan automatically finds the transformations between data taken at multiple sensor viewpoints using matching algorithms. The data from these viewpoints are then merged together to form an integrated textured map of the entire scene. Other user or sensor input can also inserted into the scene. Using object recognition with an expandable library of objects, Artisan can identify and locate simple and complex scene features. With this identity and transformation information, it is able to support many operations, including semi-automatic robotic teleoperation and navigation. After mapping and recognition, the identity, position, and orientation of the objects in the scene can be automatically transferred from the Artisan system into other software, including robotic teleoperation packages. Numerous opportunities for automation exist during the operations stage as a result of this increased world knowledge. This work was performed under contracts DE-AR26-97FT34314 and DE-AC21-92MC29104 for the Department of Energy, Federal Energy Technology Center, Morgantown, West Virginia.