Active Infrared Coded Target Design and Pose Estimation for Multiple Objects

Relative pose estimation is critical for collaborative multi-agent systems. To achieve accurate and low-cost localization in cluttered and GPS-denied environments, we propose a novel relative pose estimation system based on a designed active infrared coded target. Specifically, each agent is equipped with a forward-looking monocular camera and a unique infrared coded target. The target with the unique lighted LED arrangement is detected by the camera and processed with an efficient decoding algorithm. The relative pose between the agent and the camera is estimated by combining a PnP algorithm and a Kalman filter. Various experiments are performed to show that the proposed pose estimation system is accurate, robust and efficient in cluttered and GPS-denied environments.