Image-based prediction of landmark features for mobile robot navigation

We have been developing an architecture for vision-based navigation which relies on continuous feedback from visual `landmarks' to control robot motion. In this approach, landmarks are consistently located and acquired as they come into view. To make this process efficient and robust, it is important that the image locations of these features can be predicted from available image information. In this article, we discuss methods for direct image-based prediction of point and line features for a mobile system operating on a planar surface. Preliminary experimental results suggest that image-based prediction can be performed efficiently and with sufficient accuracy to ensure robust acquisition of navigational landmarks.