Importance

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Abstract

Autonomous systems enable a machine, such as an excavator, to dig in a specified area with little to no human intervention. However, conventional autonomous systems require costly exteroceptive systems to monitor the terrain surface during the autonomous dig operation. Accordingly, embodiments are disclosed for estimating a terrain surface using only proprioceptive sensors, such as the linkage sensors on the work implement of an excavator. The terrain surface may be estimated by fitting a surface to one or more touchpoints collected using the work implement. The estimated terrain surface may be updated during a dig operation using a model of material flow and/or by collecting additional touchpoints. Embodiments enable a remote operator to visualize this terrain surface in a camera view by projecting the estimated terrain surface onto an image plane with a representation that depicts one or more terrain parameters.

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First Claim