Contact
| Name | Eduardo Ferrera |
|---|---|
| Position | Researcher |
| Phone | +49-201-183-6361 |
| Fax | +49-201-183-4176 |
| eduardo.ferrera@uni-due.de | |
| Address | Schützenbahn 70 Building SA 45127 Essen |
| Room | SA-327 |
Research Interest
- Multi-Robot team coordination.
- Collision avoidance with acceleration constraints.
- Distributed Systems.
- Simultaneous Localization and Mapping.
- RSSI-based Indoor Localization Systems.
Education
October 2012 – present:
- PhD Student in Robotics (EQF level 8)
- University Duisburg-Essen
- Specialization: Multi-robot Wireless Calibration for Human Positioning Systems
October 2005 – October 2012:
- Telecommunications Engineering (EQF level 7)
- University of Sevilla
- Specialization: Remote Control and Robotics.
Work Experience
November 2012 – present:
- Research Assistant at the Networked Embedded Systems group (NES)
- – Research:
- Distributed navigation system to calibrate Human Positioning Systems.
- Auto-coordinated collision avoidance system with acceleration constraints.
- – Responsabilities:
- Robotic Laboratory.
- Multi-robot Testbed based on ROS architecture.
- Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab).
- 3 x Student Assistant (HiWi)
- – Developments:
- Coordinated team of robots.
- 4 x Turtlebot 2
- 1 x Turtlebot 3 Burguer
- 2 x Parrot AR2.0
- Fabrication Laboratory.
- 3 x Ultimaker 2+
- Zortrax 200M
- Zing 30W Laser Cutter
- Matlab-based Multirobot Simulator (MiMicS)
- Augmented reality based indoor localization system (under construction)
- Tag-based indoor localization and navigation system for drones (under construction)
March 2012 – August 2012:
- Erasmus Practice Scholarship at the Networked Embedded Systems group (NES)
- – Research:
- Development of a mini-robot able to monitor the status of a TelosB network. Planet project.
- – Developments:
- All terrain Mini-Robot Arduino based.
December 2010 – October 2012:
- Research Scholar at the Robotic, Vision and Control group (GRVC)
- – Research:
- Multi-robot Collision Avoidance systems.
- – Developments:
- Multi-robot simulator in Matlab/Simulink.
- Multi-robot interface between Matlab and Player/Stage.
Teaching
Project Group:
- Unmanned middle-size Ground Robots, SS 2017
Seminars:
- Autonomous Robot Navigation, SS 2016
- Autonomous Robot Navigation, SS 2015
- Autonomous Robot Navigation, SS 2014
- Autonomous Robot Navigation, WS 2013/14
Projects:
- Autonomous Navigation for Middle-size Robots, WS 2016/17
- Autonomous Navigation for Middle-size Robots, WS 2015/16
- Autonomous Navigation for Middle-size Robots, WS 2014/15
- Autonomous Navigation for Middle-size Robots, WS 2013/14
Exercises:
- Programmieren in C/C++, SS 2013
Bachelor and Master Thesis
- BT: Design and implementation of local navigation algorithms for an autonomous drone, SS16
- BT: Plugins for local planning algorithms within the Navigation Stack of ROS, SS16
- MT: ArUco, an augmented reality-based system to perform robotic indoor localization, WS15/16
- MT: Decentralized Conflict Resolution System for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, WS15/16
- MT: Robotic Enviromental Monitoring comparaison for indoor enviroments, WS15/16
- MT: Design and Evaluation of a low-cost multipurpose Robot, WS12/13
Publications
2018 |
| Eduardo Ferrera, Jesús Capitán, Merlin Stampa, Pedro José Marrón: MiMicS: a multi-robot simulator for teaching, rapid prototyping and large scale evaluations. of the on ACM., In Proceedings 33rd Annual ACM Symposium Applied Computing. (Ed.): pp. 843–846, 2018. (Type: Inproceedings | Links) @inproceedings{Ferrera2018b, title = {MiMicS: a multi-robot simulator for teaching, rapid prototyping and large scale evaluations}, author = {Eduardo Ferrera and Jesús Capitán and Merlin Stampa and Pedro José Marrón}, editor = {In Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Symposium on Applied Computing. ACM.}, url = {https://drive.google.com/open?id=1NOmlynKuNzDBKd_Q5kgGNYVOyh6aQlHv https://drive.google.com/open?id=1twZUKOAmTyJxEpJ06E9WUekiwJDugrKY https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jZMCNrwPP9g1rsjqMgHjNZJ99an3tGoI}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-04-09}, pages = {843--846}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } |
| Eduardo Ferrera, Matteo Ceriotti, Sascha Jungen, Ninja Heisse, Jesús Capitán, Pedro José Marrón: Marrying Stationary Low-Power Wireless Networks and Mobile Robots in a Hybrid Surveillance System. Proceedings of the International Conference on Distributed Computing in Sensor Systems (DCOSS'18), 2018. (Type: Inproceedings | Links) @inproceedings{Ferrera2018, title = {Marrying Stationary Low-Power Wireless Networks and Mobile Robots in a Hybrid Surveillance System}, author = {Eduardo Ferrera and Matteo Ceriotti and Sascha Jungen and Ninja Heisse and Jesús Capitán and Pedro José Marrón}, url = {https://drive.google.com/open?id=19NBNYdwzzUV-2bgn9Somw9G5gxK5TrGK}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-06-19}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on Distributed Computing in Sensor Systems (DCOSS'18)}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } |
2017 |
| Hugues Smeets, Matteo Ceriotti, Eduardo Ferrera, Pedro José Marrón: Replacing Free-Ranging Robots with Alternative Mobile Nodes. 26th International Conference on Computer Communications and Networks (ICCCN), 2017. (Type: Inproceedings | Abstract | Links) @inproceedings{Smeets2017TestbedExperience, title = {Replacing Free-Ranging Robots with Alternative Mobile Nodes}, author = {Hugues Smeets and Matteo Ceriotti and Eduardo Ferrera and Pedro José Marrón}, url = {https://drive.google.com/open?id=14A9DxuwB0_VBLLp0PrRn7ADvMc3tB7JR}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-08-01}, booktitle = {26th International Conference on Computer Communications and Networks (ICCCN)}, abstract = { wide range of mobile devices, e.g., wireless sensor nodes, RFID tags and smartphones, gradually coalesces into the Internet of Things (IoT). Debugging and optimizing such systems is challenging and necessary to realize the foreseen vision. In this paper, we describe our endeavor to build and adapt a testbed enabling the analysis of different scenarios involving mobile elements. Instead of creating a versatile but expansive testbed based on free-ranging robots, we developed a set of specialized components based on model trains. Our goal was to save costs while providing repeatable and accurate experiments where the movement of the tested devices is not provided by battery powered platforms. The contribution of this paper is to describe the iterative design and realization process for each testbed component and to quantify the trade-offs between different approaches. We discuss how our solutions evolved due to the constraints of the real experiments that were carried out on the various instances of the testbed, with a particular focus on the experience we acquired in the process and the lessons we have learned along the way}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } wide range of mobile devices, e.g., wireless sensor nodes, RFID tags and smartphones, gradually coalesces into the Internet of Things (IoT). Debugging and optimizing such systems is challenging and necessary to realize the foreseen vision. In this paper, we describe our endeavor to build and adapt a testbed enabling the analysis of different scenarios involving mobile elements. Instead of creating a versatile but expansive testbed based on free-ranging robots, we developed a set of specialized components based on model trains. Our goal was to save costs while providing repeatable and accurate experiments where the movement of the tested devices is not provided by battery powered platforms. The contribution of this paper is to describe the iterative design and realization process for each testbed component and to quantify the trade-offs between different approaches. We discuss how our solutions evolved due to the constraints of the real experiments that were carried out on the various instances of the testbed, with a particular focus on the experience we acquired in the process and the lessons we have learned along the way |
| Eduardo Ferrera, Jesús Capitán, Angel Castano, Pedro José Marrón: Decentralized Safe Conflict Resolution for Multiple Robots in Dense Scenarios. Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 91 , pp. 179–193, 2017. (Type: Journal Article | Abstract | Links) @article{ferrera2017decentralized, title = {Decentralized Safe Conflict Resolution for Multiple Robots in Dense Scenarios}, author = {Eduardo Ferrera and Jesús Capitán and Angel Castano and Pedro José Marrón}, url = {https://drive.google.com/open?id=1o6KHjl85_F-FwbRVx9uOD-DExQ_5fZ1g https://drive.google.com/open?id=1qLg9TIBLzO5_eML-a5xRxVQ5ya6kdxvf https://drive.google.com/open?id=1k33JrVj1jrnsTlxXQRvR-fG5zU3F2zNc}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2017.01.008}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-01-01}, journal = {Robotics and Autonomous Systems}, volume = {91}, pages = {179--193}, publisher = {Elsevier}, abstract = {Multi-robot conflict resolution is a challenging problem, especially in dense environments where many robots must operate safely in a confined space. Centralized solutions do not scale well with the number of robots in dynamic scenarios: a centralized communication can cause bottlenecks and may not be robust enough when channels are unreliable; the complexity of algorithms grows with the number of robots, making online re-computation too expensive in many situations. In this work, we propose a decentralized approach for conflict resolution where robots show reactive and safe behaviors, avoiding collisions with both static and dynamic objects, even under unreliable communication conditions and with low resources. They detect conflicts with neighboring obstacles locally and then apply rules to surround them in a roundabout fashion, assuming that others will follow the same policy. The method is designed for unicycle robots with range-finder sensors, and it is able to cope with noisy sensors and second-order dynamic constraints, ensuring always collision-free navigation. Besides, a set of metrics and scenarios for benchmarking in multi-robot collision avoidance are proposed. We also compare our method with others from the state of the art through extensive simulations. Experiments with real robots are also presented in order to show the feasibility of the system.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Multi-robot conflict resolution is a challenging problem, especially in dense environments where many robots must operate safely in a confined space. Centralized solutions do not scale well with the number of robots in dynamic scenarios: a centralized communication can cause bottlenecks and may not be robust enough when channels are unreliable; the complexity of algorithms grows with the number of robots, making online re-computation too expensive in many situations. In this work, we propose a decentralized approach for conflict resolution where robots show reactive and safe behaviors, avoiding collisions with both static and dynamic objects, even under unreliable communication conditions and with low resources. They detect conflicts with neighboring obstacles locally and then apply rules to surround them in a roundabout fashion, assuming that others will follow the same policy. The method is designed for unicycle robots with range-finder sensors, and it is able to cope with noisy sensors and second-order dynamic constraints, ensuring always collision-free navigation. Besides, a set of metrics and scenarios for benchmarking in multi-robot collision avoidance are proposed. We also compare our method with others from the state of the art through extensive simulations. Experiments with real robots are also presented in order to show the feasibility of the system. |
| Eduardo Ferrera, Jesús Capitán, Pedro José Marrón: From Fast to Accurate Wireless Map Reconstruction for Human Positioning Systems. Iberian Robotics conference, pp. 299–310, Springer 2017. (Type: Inproceedings | Abstract | Links) @inproceedings{ferrera2017fast, title = {From Fast to Accurate Wireless Map Reconstruction for Human Positioning Systems}, author = {Eduardo Ferrera and Jesús Capitán and Pedro José Marrón}, url = {https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xG5h2suhG5vITXTg9x_QjKodbPA8KfJ5}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-10-12}, booktitle = {Iberian Robotics conference}, pages = {299--310}, organization = {Springer}, abstract = {Indoor localization systems for humans are becoming commonplace for context-aware applications. In many public areas such as shopping malls or airports, existing wireless infrastructures can be used for localization, often through approaches based on fingerprinting. Although those systems do not require additional installation, a previous calibration phase is needed. This calibration task becomes tedious and time consuming for large scenarios, since the wireless signal must be measured in many different locations. This paper proposes an algorithm to perform this wireless map calibration autonomously by means of a robot. Instead of sampling thoroughly the full scenario from the beginning, our algorithm fosters a more sensible behavior when the calibration time may be limited: first, the robot tries to explore all areas to gain an overall view of the map; and then, it improves the accuracy by sampling more deeply each sector if there is remaining time. For this purpose, full coverage of individual rooms is ranked lower if others are still unexplored. Moreover, we propose some metrics to evaluate this kind of behavior and evaluate our exploration algorithm against a traditional coverage system in two different simulated scenarios.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } Indoor localization systems for humans are becoming commonplace for context-aware applications. In many public areas such as shopping malls or airports, existing wireless infrastructures can be used for localization, often through approaches based on fingerprinting. Although those systems do not require additional installation, a previous calibration phase is needed. This calibration task becomes tedious and time consuming for large scenarios, since the wireless signal must be measured in many different locations. This paper proposes an algorithm to perform this wireless map calibration autonomously by means of a robot. Instead of sampling thoroughly the full scenario from the beginning, our algorithm fosters a more sensible behavior when the calibration time may be limited: first, the robot tries to explore all areas to gain an overall view of the map; and then, it improves the accuracy by sampling more deeply each sector if there is remaining time. For this purpose, full coverage of individual rooms is ranked lower if others are still unexplored. Moreover, we propose some metrics to evaluate this kind of behavior and evaluate our exploration algorithm against a traditional coverage system in two different simulated scenarios. |
2013 |
| Eduardo Ferrera, Angel Castano, Jesús Capitán, Pedro José Marrón, Anibal Ollero: Multi-robot operation system with conflict resolution. In ROBOT2013: First Iberian Robotics Conference., pp. 407-419, Springer, Cham., 2013. (Type: Inproceedings | Abstract | Links) @inproceedings{Ferrera2013, title = {Multi-robot operation system with conflict resolution}, author = {Eduardo Ferrera and Angel Castano and Jesús Capitán and Pedro José Marrón and Anibal Ollero}, url = {https://drive.google.com/open?id=1m_rZF2rj7A9K4NEYVr6qTDFPOMP0NCSR}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-11-01}, booktitle = {In ROBOT2013: First Iberian Robotics Conference.}, pages = {407-419}, publisher = {Springer, Cham.}, abstract = {Applications with large teams of robots are becoming more and more useful. If the scenario is very crowded or very dynamic, conflict resolution when using a shared workspace is a challenging problem. In this paper, an scalable, decentralized and reactive approach for collision avoidance is presented. The robots can navigate in a 2D environment avoiding each other and without high computational requirements. In addition to the conflict resolution algorithm, a multi-robot simulator is presented. The system is flexible and can be used to simulate different algorithms with realistic robots. Finally, an extension of the simulator is proposed in order to operate real robots in a multi-robot testbed. Results of the collision avoidance approach are shown with both real and simulated robots.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } Applications with large teams of robots are becoming more and more useful. If the scenario is very crowded or very dynamic, conflict resolution when using a shared workspace is a challenging problem. In this paper, an scalable, decentralized and reactive approach for collision avoidance is presented. The robots can navigate in a 2D environment avoiding each other and without high computational requirements. In addition to the conflict resolution algorithm, a multi-robot simulator is presented. The system is flexible and can be used to simulate different algorithms with realistic robots. Finally, an extension of the simulator is proposed in order to operate real robots in a multi-robot testbed. Results of the collision avoidance approach are shown with both real and simulated robots. |
| Eduardo Ferrera, Angel Castano, Jesús Capitán, Anibal Ollero, Pedro José Marrón: Decentralized Collision Avoidance for Large Teams of Robots. In Advanced Robotics (ICAR), 2013 16th International Conference, pp. 1-6, IEEE 2013. (Type: Inproceedings | Abstract | Links) @inproceedings{ferrera_icar13, title = {Decentralized Collision Avoidance for Large Teams of Robots}, author = {Eduardo Ferrera and Angel Castano and Jesús Capitán and Anibal Ollero and Pedro José Marrón}, url = {https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pZBRNMPjYAthLdIEujt44EC7tle7lJDb https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sUdyI4mgmwgqcZ3wvTJuEoDnD3lgKGLW}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-11-01}, booktitle = {In Advanced Robotics (ICAR), 2013 16th International Conference}, pages = {1-6}, organization = {IEEE}, abstract = {Collision avoidance for large teams of robots in crowded environments is a challenging problem. If the environment is dynamic and the number of robots can vary during operation, centralized approaches are not suitable, since they cannot be recomputed online. This paper proposes a decentralized algorithm which allows the robots to navigate reactively to their goals. The algorithm does not require a high computational load and scales with the number of robots. The paper focuses on robots with differential drive, and in that case, the space used for each robot when avoiding collisions is optimized, so crowded environments can be tackled. In addition, realistic controllers are proposed to regulate the speed of robots. Simulations with different configurations are shown, including a complex experiment with 100 robots trying to go through the same point.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } Collision avoidance for large teams of robots in crowded environments is a challenging problem. If the environment is dynamic and the number of robots can vary during operation, centralized approaches are not suitable, since they cannot be recomputed online. This paper proposes a decentralized algorithm which allows the robots to navigate reactively to their goals. The algorithm does not require a high computational load and scales with the number of robots. The paper focuses on robots with differential drive, and in that case, the space used for each robot when avoiding collisions is optimized, so crowded environments can be tackled. In addition, realistic controllers are proposed to regulate the speed of robots. Simulations with different configurations are shown, including a complex experiment with 100 robots trying to go through the same point. |