Position Tracking System of Everyday Objects in an Everyday Environment

We propose an object tracking system for a service robot working in an everyday environment. The system is composed of an intelligent cabinet, a floor sensing system and a data management system. The position of an object can be classified into three areas: 1) in/on furniture, 2) on the floor, 3) held by a human or a robot. Being equipped with a RFID reader and loadcells, the intelligent cabinet measures the position of an object in/on itself. The floor sensing system which uses a laser range finder, measures the position of an object on the floor and the position of a human walking in a room. The data management system integrates the position data of the intelligent cabinets and the floor sensing system, and it performs position measurement of an object carried by a human. The data management system provides robots with position information to support robot activities.