Special Issue on Visual Mapping and Navigation Outdoors

Special Issue Guest Editors:   Cyrill Stachniss, University of Freiburg, Stefan Williams, Australian Centre for Field Robotics, José Neira, University of Zaragoza

Mapping and navigation, the successful modeling and traversal of unknown environments using vehicles equipped with sensors, has been an extremely active research area in robotics. Recently, researchers have reported impressive results in this area, to the point that building 2D maps of indoor planar environments using laser sensors is considered a solved problem. For this reason, research has moved to addressing larger, non planar, less-structured and dynamic outdoor environments. Information rich visual sensors are being incorporated into these new systems because cameras have become inexpensive, light weight, and offer high performance in resolution and speed. Visual sensors offer much more detailed environmental information, but pose new challenges such as robust feature detection and tracking, data association, and 3D computation. Also, computationally efficient large-scale estimation is much harder using cameras than using a laser scanner.

The goal of this special issue of the Journal of Field Robotics is to publish outstanding results on the use of visual sensors for mapping and navigation in challenging outdoor environments: urban, suburban, off-road, underwater, and airborne, in applications that include but are not limited to surveying, virtual and augmented reality, surveillance and search and rescue operations. This call for papers follows a successful workshop on Visual Mapping and Navigation Outdoors at ICRA 2009.

List of topics

1. •Bearing only/monocular systems, multi-camera systems, mapping with omni-directional cameras, active/passive cameras
   

2. •Vision + other sensors
   

3. •Environment representations: metric, topological, semantic, hybrid
   

4. •Visual loop closing techniques
   

5. •Place recognition
   

6. •Large scale visual navigation and mapping
   

7. •Urban, suburban and off-road mapping
   

8. •Underwater applications
   

9. •Airborne navigation and mapping 
   

Important Dates:

1. •September 1, 2009 - Submission of manuscripts
   

2. •December 1, 2009 - Reviews sent to the authors
   

3. •March 1, 2010 - Final manuscripts due for publication
   

For comments, suggestions, or requests, please send email to Cyrill Stachniss (stachnis@informatik.uni-freiburg.de), Stefan Williams (stefanw@acfr.usyd.edu.au), or Jose Neira (jneira@unizar.es).

Special Issue on Vehicle-Terrain Interaction for Mobile Robots

Special Issue Guest Editors: Danwei Wang, Nanyang Technological University,  Philippe Martinet, Université Blaise Pascal & Karl Iagnemma, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This special issue focuses on state-of-the-art developments in modeling, estimation, motion planning, and control of all terrain mobile robots with significant vehicle-terrain interaction effects. Mobility in outdoor unstructured or semi-structured environments is an important consideration for mobile robotic systems. Modeling and estimation of the contact between tire (or track, foot, or other appendage) and ground, control performance robustness to uncertainties and disturbances, path/trajectory generation over 3D terrain, and precise trajectory tracking in dynamic environments, represent challenging issues in our scientific community. This special issue will stimulate interest and provides motivation for further research and development in intelligent transportation and autonomous robotics.

We invite papers that exhibit theory and methods applied to modeling, estimation, path planning and control of all terrain mobile robots with vehicle-terrain interactions. Topics are including, but not limited to:

1. •modeling of interaction between the robot running gear and terrain, including analysis of the interaction between wheels, tracks, feet, or other appendages with soil, vegetation, or other natural materials;
   

2. •description of uncertainties to vehicle motions, such as skidding/ slipping, and methods for explicit consideration of these uncertainties in planning and control;
   

3. •methods for sensing, sensor fusion, and estimation in the presence of terrain-induced perturbations
   

4. •experiments in posture estimation, data fusion, and control implementation;
   

Papers for this special issue must also provide technical descriptions of systems and results and analysis of experimentation.  For this special issue, experimental verification via field experiments is considered essential.

Important Dates:

February 1, 2009- Submission of manuscripts

May 1,  2009-  Reviews sent to the authors

August 1, 2009- Final manuscripts due for publication

Authors interested in submitting to this issue can discuss submissions with the special issue editors: Danwei Wang (edwwang@ntu.edu.sg), Philippe Martinet (Philippe.Martinet@lasmea.univ-bpclermont.fr) and Karl Iagnemma (kdi@mit.edu)

Special Issue on Three-Dimensional Mapping

Special Issue Guest Editors: Patrick Pfaff, Kuka Roboter GmbH, Wolfram Burgard, University of Freiburg.

Recently, three-dimensional representations of environments have gained substantial interest in the robotics community as such maps provide better support for a wide variety of tasks including navigation, localization, and perception.  For example, robots that know about the three-dimensional structure of the environment can better avoid obstacles, can more reliably localize themselves, and can more robustly detect objects.  Accordingly, three-dimensional representations provide benefits in all applications in which robots are deployed in real-world scenarios. Additionally, three-dimensional models of environments are envisioned to be useful in a wide area of applications, which goes far beyond robotics, like architecture, emergency planning, interaction, and visualization. In all of these application domains, there is a need for methods that can automatically construct 3D-models. The goal of this special issue of the Journal of Field Robotics is to collect recent advances and state-of-the-art results in the area of learning three-dimensional maps with mobile robots with a particular emphasis on fielded systems and systems that operate in unstructured and dynamic environments.  

We particularly seek papers that both cover fundamental aspects of mapping along with those that describe the acquisition or maintenance of three-dimensional representations in natural, unstructured environments.

Authors are invited to submit papers that cover relevant areas of three-dimensional mapping for field robotic systems including (but not limited to) stereo vision, autonomous cars, navigation, dynamic objects, cooperative systems, approximation and reconstruction techniques, and 3D-SLAM.

Important Dates:

January 5, 2009- Submission of manuscripts

April 5, 2009 - Reviews sent to the authors

July 5, 2009- Final manuscripts due for publication

For comments, suggestions, or requests, please send email to Pfaff Patrick <PatrickPfaff@kuka-roboter.de> or Wolfram Burgard <burgard@informatik.uni-freiburg.de>

Special Issue on Advances in Agricultural Robotics

Special Issue Guest Editors: John Billingsley, University of Southern Queensland, John Reid, Intelligent Machine Systems, John Deere, Denny Oetomo, University of Melbourne

Automation is one of the most important reasons in the improvement of farming efficiency. The maturing technologies of the robotics community are paving the way for exciting deployments of robust robotic systems in the environment of large scale farming, one that is not entirely structured. Not only does this have the potential to increase productivity and the quality of agricultural facilities, it can also significantly alter the way in which the farming industry is modeled and conducted.

The emerging trend in autonomous farming is of great significance, not only to the robotics and agricultural communities, but also to industry and the wider community in general. The field of interest extends beyond agriculture to include broader areas such as forestry and aquaculture. Advances in agricultural efficiency provided by the robotics technology and automation greatly impact the sustainability of our natural resources to satisfy the demands of the growing world population.

High quality submissions are sought to present various state-of-the-arts applications of robotic techniques in the area of agricultural robotics and automation. Field experimentation results as well as conceptual ideas with potential to define the future of agricultural automation are of great interest. Perspectives from agricultural experts on robotics and automation are also of great interest. We invite papers that exhibit theory and methods applied to the field of agricultural robotics, including:

•Examples of robust implementation of robotics technology deployed on the farm

•Methods of sensing, identification, and localization in the semi-structured farming environment

•Mechanism analysis, design, as well as manipulation strategies specific to the tasks required in agricultural processes

•Techniques for reliable information sharing in an integrated farm automation framework

•Strategies for effective human-machine coordination and cooperation in farming tasks

•Algorithms for efficient interaction between systems and the environment

•Other novel ideas, concepts and applications that would be of significant contribution to the field of agricultural automation.

It is intended that papers for this special issue should provide technical descriptions of systems as well as results and analysis of field experiments. Lessons learned in development and operation are also pertinent.

Important Dates:
July 25, 2008        - Submission of manuscripts
September 25, 2008   - Complete reviews
October 15, 2008     - Notification of acceptance
December 15, 2008    - Final manuscripts due for publication

For comments, suggestions, or concerns, please send email to Denny.Nurjanto.Oetomo@eng.monash.edu.au

Special Issue On Space Robotics

Special Issue Guest Editors: David Wettergreen, Carnegie Mellon, Terry Fong, NASA Ames Research Center, Keiji Nagatani, Tohoku University

Space applications present many challenges to robotic systems: from extremes of temperature, vacuum, shock and gravity, to limitations on power and communication, from the intricate complexity of systems engineering, to requirements for reliability, robustness and autonomy.

The Journal of Field Robotics (JFR) announces a special issue on space robotics to examine these and other issues related to robots and space.  This special issue will present and discuss the state of the art in space robots, their theory and practice. 

We invite papers that exhibit theory and methods applied to robotic systems in space including:

1. • specification and evaluation of system concepts and designs;
   

2. • effects of the space environment on robotic devices;
   

3. • methods of sensing, actuation, and mobility;
   

4. • experiments in manipulation, assembly, construction and excavation;
   

5. • algorithms for localization and navigation, and task or mission planning;
   

6. • experiments in planetary exploration and scientific investigation;
   

7. • efforts related to deep space navigation and autonomous operation;
   

8. • techniques for safe and precise entry, descent, and landing; and
   

9. • analysis of human robot interaction and robot autonomy. 
   

Papers for this special issue must also provide technical descriptions of systems and results and analysis of experimentation.  We invite technical descriptions and analysis of orbital robots/spacecraft and planetary rovers as well as prototype systems in hat have been field tested in terrestrial analogue environments.  Lessons learned in development and operation are also pertinent.

We encourage papers addressing all aspects of space robotic systems.  Our emphasis is on systems that fulfill a specific space-relevant application.  Robotic systems in Earth orbit, traveling in deep space, and operating on the surfaces of planets, moons, comets, or asteroids are of particular interest, as well systems envisioned for space application but developed and demonstrated in relevant environments here on Earth.

The JFR encourages multimedia content and this special issue seeks inclusion of movies illustrating system concept and operation, engineering experiments, and of course space operation.

Deadlines:

July 2, 2008 – Submit manuscripts

August 15, 2008 – Reviews completed

August 29, 2008 – Decisions and author notification

October 3, 2008 – Final manuscripts for publication

Authors interested in submitting to this issue can discuss submissions with the special issue editors: David Wettergreen, Terry Fong and Keiji Nagatani