Optimal sensor placement for cooperative distributed vision

This work describes a method for observing maneuvering targets using a group of mobile robots equipped with video cameras. These robots are part of a team of small-size (7/spl times/7/spl times/7 cm) robots configured from modular components that collaborate to accomplish a given task. The cameras seek to observe the target while facing it as much as possible from their respective viewpoints. This work considers the problem of scheduling and maneuvering the cameras based on the evaluation of their current positions in terms of how well can they maintain a frontal view of the target. We describe our approach, which distributes the task among several robots and avoids extensive energy consumption on a single robot. We explore the concept in simulation and present results.