Date of Award
5-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Aerospace, Physics, and Space Sciences
First Advisor
Hector M. Gutierrez
Second Advisor
Reza Jahanbakhshi
Third Advisor
Chelakara S. Subramanian
Fourth Advisor
Kim-Doang Nguyen
Abstract
This dissertation presents a robust method for 6DoF position estimation under impaired visual conditions utilizing a minimum 4-point Perspective-n-Point (P4P) solver designed for tetrahedral targets. Using SO(3) × R 3 instead of SE(3), the method uses a Lie group-based formulation to discriminate between rotation and translation, thereby enabling computationally efficient, resource-conscious op- optimization while preserving correct geometric behavior. Designed using the contemporary C++17 library ShomerTarget, the solver is analytically formulated and assessed under pragmatic robotic conditions. Particularly in low-light and high-dynamic environments, experiments on embedded systems, UAVs, and NASA’s Astrobee show that the proposed solver attains enhanced accuracy compared to conventional conic-based and faster runtime than automatic differentiation solvers. Furthermore, the system is compatible with hybrid VINS, optimization-based (Astrobee), and filter-based (MSCKF) pipelines, enhancing resistance to motion blur and texture degradation. This work offers an open-source, modular, efficient P4P solver architecture suitable for real-time localization under visual deterioration.
Recommended Citation
Silva Cotta, Joao Leonardo, "Towards Visual Inertial Navigation with Fixed Tetrahedral Targets" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 1553.
https://repository.fit.edu/etd/1553
Included in
Navigation, Guidance, Control and Dynamics Commons, Software Engineering Commons, Space Vehicles Commons, Systems Architecture Commons, Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Commons, Theory and Algorithms Commons
