Vibro-tactile localisation of mobile robots

Abstract The utilisation of mobile robots in production environments is on the rise, particularly for tasks involving transportation and assembly. In such contexts, precise localisation is paramount. Conventional localisation technologies, such as odometry (wheel revolution measurement) and laser sensors, offer sub-millimetre-level precision but necessitate advanced hardware. Although tactile fine referencing achieves even higher precision, it is similarly limited by high processing demands and is typically restricted to static conditions. This paper introduces a novel approach to vibro-tactile localisation for mobile robots, enabling precise position determination during movement. The proposed method involves the robot movement over an artificial ridge (mechanical reference) that is spatially aligned with target objects. By analysing the resulting vibrations and corresponding timestamps, the robot’s position is determined with high accuracy in real time. Fundamental experiments are conducted using ridges of varying heights to optimise vibration detection while minimising slip. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated through experimental trials, which show that it achieves precision down to centimetre-level with reduced processing requirements. This approach offers a promising alternative for dynamic, high-precision localisation in industrial applications.