Testing positioning system for ground penetrating radar using multi-degree-of-freedom industrial robot

Authors

  • Tomasz Kraszewski Military University of Technology, Faculty of Electronics, ul. gen. S. Kaliskiego 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2208-8536
  • Jarosław Panasiuk Military University of Technology, Faculty of Mechatronics, Armament and Aerospace, ul. gen. S. Kaliskiego 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland
  • Paweł Słowak Military University of Technology, Faculty of Electronics, ul. gen. S. Kaliskiego 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland
  • Piotr Kaniewski Military University of Technology, Faculty of Electronics, ul. gen. S. Kaliskiego 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24425/mms.2025.154681

Keywords

ground-penetrating radar, GPR, extended Kalman filter, EKF, ultrawideband radio, UWB, industrial robot

Abstract

This paper introduces a navigation system, and a data processing algorithm tailored for a handheld ground-penetrating radar (GPR), along with results from real-world tests conducted using a physical model. Handheld GPR systems are indispensable for scanning challenging and inaccessible terrains, particularly to detect buried landmines and other explosive remnants of war, where vehicle-mounted GPR systems cannot operate effectively. Building on previous research, which focused on a system designed with stationary and mobile ultrawideband radio transceivers tested via simulations, this study addresses practical challenges encountered in a real-world physical model. A novel data processing algorithm is proposed to handle key issues, including a variable number of distance measurements per estimation step and the presence of measurement outliers. Furthermore, the methodology and results of the real-world testing of the positioning system, conducted using an industrial robot for controlled experimentation, are presented and discussed.

References

[1] Grewal, M. S., Weill, L. R., & Andrews, A. P. (2007). Global Positioning Systems, Inertial Navigation, and Integration (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/0470099720

[2] Kawecki, J., Brewer, J., Cao, J., & Baldwin, J. (2016). Can’t deny the truth: Air force upgrades to a better field reference system for testing GPS denial. GPS World, 27, 22-29.

[3] Kaniewski, P., & Kraszewski, T. (2023). Estimation of Handheld Ground-Penetrating Radar Antenna Position with Pendulum-Model-Based Extended Kalman Filter. Remote Sensing, 15(1), 741. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15030741

[4] Kraszewski, T. (2023). Metoda estymacji położenia anteny ręcznego radaru penetracji gruntu. Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna. (in Polish)

[5] Pasternak, M., & Kaczmarek, P. (2019). Continuous wave ground penetrating radars: state of the art. In XII Conference on Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare Systems (Vol. 11055, p. 10). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2524524

[6] Kaniewski, P., & Kraszewski, T. (2020). Novel Algorithm for position Estimation of Handheld Ground-Penetrating Radar Antenna. In 21st International Radar Symposium (IRS) (pp. 100-102). https://doi.org/10.23919/irs48640.2020.9253877

[7] Kaplan, E. D., & Hegarty, C. (2017). Understanding GPS/GNSS: Principles and Applications (3rd ed.). https://trid.trb.org/view/1472240

[8] FANUC Europe Corporation. (2019). FANUC LR Mate 200iD datasheet. https://www.fanuc.eu/pl/pl/roboty/robot-strona-filtrowania/lrmate-series

[9] Panasiuk, J., & Kaczmarek, W. (2019). Robotization of Production Processes. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN

[10] Dzedzickis, A., Subačūtė-Žemaitienė, J., Šutinys, E., Samukaitė-Bubnienė, U., & Bučinskas, V. (2021). Advanced Applications of Industrial Robotics: New trends and possibilities. Applied Sciences, 12(1), 135. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12010135

[11] Jun, S., Szmajda, M., Khoma, V., Khoma, Y., Sabodashko, D., Kochan, O., & Wang, J. (2020). Comparison of methods for correcting outliers in ECG-based biometric identification. Metrology and Measurement Systems, 27(1), 387-398. https://doi.org/10.24425/mms.2020.132784

[12] Kaniewski, P., Kraszewski, T., & Pasek, P. (2019). UWB-Based positioning system for supporting lightweight handheld ground-penetrating radar. 2021 IEEE International Conference on Microwaves, Antennas, Communications and Electronic Systems (COMCAS), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1109/comcas44984.2019.8958144

[13] Słowak, P., & Kaniewski, P. (2023). Homography augmented particle filter SLAM. Metrology and Measurement Systems 30(1), 423-439. https://doi.org/10.24425/mms.2023.146420

[14] Laddach, K., Łangowski, R., & Zubowicz, T. (2022). Estimation of the angular position of a two-wheeled balancing robot using a real IMU with selected filters. Bulletin of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Technical Sciences, 140518. https://doi.org/10.24425/bpasts.2022.140518

[15] Bar-Shalom, Y., Kirubarajan, T., & Li, X. R. (2001). Estimation with Applications to Tracking and Navigation: Theory, Algorithms, and Software. https://doi.org/10.1002/0471221279

[16] Kolat, M., Törő, O., & Bécsi, T. (2022). Performance evaluation of a maneuver classification algorithm using different motion models in a multi-model framework. Sensors, 22(1), 347. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22010347

[17] Niewiara, Ł., Tarczewski, T., & Grzesiak, L. (2020). Application of extended Kalman filter for estimation of periodic disturbance and velocity ripple reduction in PMSM drive. Bulletin of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Technical Sciences, 983-995. https://doi.org/10.24425/bpasts.2020.134649

[18] TDSR. (2020). Data Sheet/User Guide: P440 UWB module. https://tdsr-uwb.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/320-0317G-P440-Data-Sheet-User-Guide.pdf

Downloads

Published

2025-09-30

How to Cite

Kraszewski, Tomasz, et al. “Testing Positioning System for Ground Penetrating Radar Using Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Industrial Robot”. Metrology and Measurement Systems, vol. 32, no. 3, Sept. 2025, pp. art. no. 10, 1-15, doi:10.24425/mms.2025.154681.

Issue

Vol. 32 No. 3 (2025)

Section

Articles