Localization and pose estimation of textureless objects for autonomous exploration missions

In this paper we describe an approach for detection and pose estimation of colored objects with only few or no textural features. The approach consists of two separate stages. First, we perform vision-based object detection and hypothesis filtering. Then, we estimate and validate the object's pose in 3-D laser scans. For object detection we integrate image segmentation results from multiple viewpoints in a set-theoretical filter that provides a probabilistically sound estimate of the number of objects and their respective locations. For validation and pose estimation we search for the best pose by sampling from a geometric measurement model. The system has been validated during autonomous exploration missions in unstructured and space-like environments.