Outdoor visual position estimation for planetary rovers

This paper describes (1) a novel, effective algorithm for outdoor visual po sition estimation; (2) the implementation of this algorithm in the Viper sy stem; and (3) the extensive tests that have demonstrated the superior accur acy and speed of the algorithm. The Viper system (Visual Position Estimator for Rovers) is geared towards robotic space missions, and the central purp ose of the system is to increase the situational awareness of a rover opera tor by presenting accurate position estimates. The system has been extensiv ely tested with terrestrial and lunar imagery, in terrains ranging from mod erate-the rounded hills of Pittsburgh and the high deserts of Chile-to rugg ed-the dramatic relief of the Apollo 17 landing site-to extreme-the jagged peaks of the Rockies. Results have consistently demonstrated that the visua l estimation algorithm estimates position with an accuracy and reliability that greatly surpass previous work.