Biography
Colin completed his DPhil with the Mobile Robotics Group in October of 2014 and was a member of Lady Margaret Hall. His thesis presented a new approach to long-term, vision-based localisation across extreme weather and lighting conditions (see Publications).
Colin also holds a BASc (2009) in Engineering Science (Aerospace Option) from the University of Toronto and an MASc (2011) in Aerospace Science and Engineering from the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, where he worked with the Autonomous Space Robotics Lab.
Current Projects
The main goal of my research is to enhance the state of the art in navigation systems for autonomous vehicles. I am currently exploring robust vision techniques for long-term navigation in urban environments, with a particular emphasis on exploiting scene priors gathered by a survey vehicle. Below is a more detailed description of my current and past projects.
Past Projects
Past Projects with ASRL, University of Toronto
Visual Teach and Repeat Using Appearance-Based Lidar
Visual Teach and Repeat (VT&R) is an effective method for autonomously repeating a previously driven route without the need for a global positioning system. This work was concerned with long-range route repeating in outdoor, unstructured environments. As inconsistent lighting conditions pose a problem for camera-based systems, this work built upon previous research on applying appearance-based computer vision techniques to laser intensity images for motion estimation (see below). The resulting system was field tested in a planetary analogue environment over an entire diurnal cycle, covering more than 11km with an autonomy rate of 99.7% of the distance traveled.
Appearance-Based Methods Using Lidar Sensors
This work was concerned with lighting-invariant pose estimation in outdoor environments. The goal was to exploit the rich heritage of the appearance-based visual odometry pipeline traditionally used with camera imagery, and apply these techniques to laser reflectance images.
Publications
2013
- T. D. Barfoot, C. McManus, S. Anderson, H. Dong, E. Beerepoot, C. H. Tong, P. Furgale, J. D. Gammell, and J. Enright, “Into Darkness: Visual Navigation based on a Lidar-Intensity-Image Pipeline,” in Proceedings of the International Symposium on Robotics Research (ISRR), Singapore, 2013.
[Bibtex]@inproceedings{barfoot_isrr2013, Address = {Singapore}, Author = {Timothy D. Barfoot and Colin McManus and Sean Anderson and Hang Dong and Erik Beerepoot and Chi Hay Tong and Paul Furgale and Jonathan D. Gammell and John Enright}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Symposium on Robotics Research (ISRR)}, Month = {16-19 December}, Pdf = {http://asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~jdg/sbib/barfoot_isrr13.pdf}, Title = {Into Darkness: Visual Navigation based on a Lidar-Intensity-Image Pipeline}, Year = {2013}}
- S. Anderson, C. McManus, H. Dong, E. Beerepoot, and T. D. Barfoot, “The Gravel Pit Lidar-Intensity Imagery Dataset,” University of Toronto, ASRL-2012-ABL001, 2013.
[Bibtex]@techreport{Anderson2013, Author = {Anderson, S. and McManus, C. and Dong, H. and Beerepoot, E. and Barfoot, T.D.}, Institution = {University of Toronto}, Number = {ASRL-2012-ABL001}, Title = {The Gravel Pit Lidar-Intensity Imagery Dataset}, Year = {2013}}
- C. McManus, P. T. Furgale, and T. D. Barfoot, “Towards Lighting-Invariant Visual Navigation: An Appearance-Based Approach Using Scanning Laser-Rangefinders,” Robotics and Autonomous Systems., vol. 61, p. 836–-852, 2013.
[Bibtex]@article{McManus2012b, Author = {McManus, C. and Furgale, P.T. and Barfoot, T.D.}, Doi = {10.1016/j.robot.2013.04.008}, Journal = {Robotics and Autonomous Systems.}, Pages = {836---852}, Title = {Towards Lighting-Invariant Visual Navigation: An Appearance-Based Approach Using Scanning Laser-Rangefinders}, Volume = {61}, Year = {2013}, Bdsk-Url-1 = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921889013000705}, Bdsk-Url-2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2013.04.008}}
- C. McManus, P. T. Furgale, and T. D. Barfoot, “Lighting-Invariant Visual Teach and Repeat Using Appearance-Based Lidar,” Journal of Field Robotics., vol. 30, iss. 2, p. 254–-287, 2013.
[Bibtex]@article{McManus2013a, Author = {McManus, C. and Furgale, P.T. and Barfoot, T.D.}, Doi = {10.1002/rob.21444}, Journal = {Journal of Field Robotics.}, Number = {2}, Pages = {254---287}, Title = {Lighting-Invariant Visual Teach and Repeat Using Appearance-Based Lidar}, Volume = {30}, Year = {2013}, Bdsk-Url-1 = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rob.21444/abstract;jsessionid=30A64D117F257D73A0129E1C6995589D.d04t03}, Bdsk-Url-2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rob.21444}}
- B. Stenning, C. McManus, and T. D. Barfoot, “Planning using a Network of Reusable Paths: A Physical Embodiment of an RRT,” Journal of Field Robotics, special issue on “Space Robotics”, 2013.
[Bibtex]@article{Stenning2013, Author = {Stenning, B. and McManus, C. and Barfoot, T.D.}, Doi = {doi:10.1002/rob.21474}, Journal = {Journal of Field Robotics, special issue on ``Space Robotics''}, Title = {Planning using a Network of Reusable Paths: A Physical Embodiment of an RRT}, Year = {2013}, Bdsk-Url-1 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rob.21474}}
- T. D. Barfoot, B. E. Stenning, J. D. Gammell, C. H. Tong, C. McManus, L. Berczi, G. R. Osinski, M. Daly, and C. Dickinson, “Place Revisiting for Planetary Rovers: An Enabling Technology and Field Testing of Three Mission Concepts,” in Proceedings of the Planetary Rovers Workshop, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Karlsruhe, Germany, 2013.
[Bibtex]@inproceedings{barfoot_icra2013, Address = {Karlsruhe, Germany}, Author = {Timothy D. Barfoot and Braden E. Stenning and Jonathan D. Gammell and Chi Hay Tong and Colin McManus and Laszlo-Peter Berczi and Gordon R. Osinski and Michael Daly and Cameron Dickinson}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of the Planetary Rovers Workshop, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)}, Month = {6-10 May}, Pdf = {http://asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~jdg/bib/barfoot_icra13.pdf}, Title = {Place Revisiting for Planetary Rovers: An Enabling Technology and Field Testing of Three Mission Concepts}, Year = {2013}}
2012
- C. L. Marion, G. R. Osinski, S. Abou-Aly, I. Antonenko, T. Barfoot, N. Barry, A. Bassi, M. Battler, M. Beauchamp, M. Bondy, S. Blain, R. Capitan, E. Cloutis, L. Cupelli, A. Chanou, J. Clayton, M. Daly, H. Dong, L. Ferriere, R. Flemming, L. Flynn, R. Francis, P. Furgale, J. Gammell, A. Garbino, N. Ghafoor, R. A. F. Grieve, K. Hodges, M. Hussein, P. Jasiobedzki, B. L. Jolliff, M. C. Kerrigan, A. Lambert, K. Leung, M M. Mader, E. McCullough, C. McManus, J. Moores, H. K. Ng, C. Otto, A. Ozaruk, A. E. Pickersgill, A. Pontefract, L. J Preston, D. Redman, H. Sapers, B. Shankar, C. Shaver, A. Singleton, K. Souders, B. Stenning, P. Stooke, P. Sylvester, J. Tripp, L. L. Tornabene, T. Unrau, D. Veillette, K. Young, and M. Zanetti, “A Series of Robotic and Human Analogue Missions in Support of Lunar Sample Return,” in Proceedings of the 43rd Lunar and Planetary Institute Science Conference (LPSC), The Woodlands, TX, USA, 2012, p. 2333.
[Bibtex]@conference{Marion2012, Address = {The Woodlands, TX, USA}, Author = {C L Marion and G R Osinski and S Abou-Aly and I Antonenko and T Barfoot and N Barry and A Bassi and M Battler and M Beauchamp and M Bondy and S Blain and R Capitan and E Cloutis and L Cupelli and A Chanou and J Clayton and M Daly and H Dong and L Ferriere and R Flemming and L Flynn and R Francis and P Furgale and J Gammell and A Garbino and N Ghafoor and R A F Grieve and K Hodges and M Hussein and P Jasiobedzki and B L Jolliff and M C Kerrigan and A Lambert and K Leung and M M Mader and E McCullough and C McManus and J Moores and H K Ng and C Otto and A Ozaruk and A E Pickersgill and A Pontefract and L J Preston and D Redman and H Sapers and B Shankar and C Shaver and A Singleton and K Souders and B Stenning and P Stooke and P Sylvester and J Tripp and L L Tornabene and T Unrau and D Veillette and K Young and M Zanetti}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of the 43rd Lunar and Planetary Institute Science Conference (LPSC)}, Month = {19-23 March}, Pages = {2333}, Title = {A Series of Robotic and Human Analogue Missions in Support of Lunar Sample Return}, Volume = {43}, Year = {2012}, Pdf = {http://asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~jdg/bib/marion_lpsc12.pdf}}
- A. E. Pickersgill, G. R. Osinski, M. Beauchamp, C. Marion, M. M. Mader, R. Francis, E. McCullough, B. Shanker, T. D. Barfoot, M. Bondy, A. Chanou, M. Daly, H. Dong, P. Furgale, J. D. Gammell, N. Ghafoor, M. Hussein, P. Jasiobedski, A. Lambert, K. Leung, C. McManus, H. K. Ng, A. Pontefract, B. Stenning, L. L. Tornabene, J. Tripp, and I. Team, “Scientific Instrumentation for a Lunar Sample Return Analogue Mission,” in Proceedings of the 43rd Lunar and Planetary Institute Science Conference (LPSC), The Woodlands, TX, USA, 2012, p. 2657.
[Bibtex]@conference{Pickersgill2012, Address = {The Woodlands, TX, USA}, author = {A E Pickersgill and G R Osinski and M Beauchamp and C Marion and M M Mader and R Francis and E McCullough and B Shanker and T D Barfoot and M Bondy and A Chanou and M Daly and H Dong and P Furgale and J D. Gammell and N Ghafoor and M Hussein and P Jasiobedski and A Lambert and K Leung and C McManus and H K Ng and A Pontefract and B Stenning and L L Tornabene and J Tripp and ILSR Team}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of the 43rd Lunar and Planetary Institute Science Conference (LPSC)}, Month = {19-23 March}, Pages = {2657}, Title = {Scientific Instrumentation for a Lunar Sample Return Analogue Mission}, Volume = {43}, Year = {2012}, Pdf = {http://asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~jdg/bib/pickersgill_lpsc12.pdf}}
- B. Stenning, G. R. Osinski, T. D. Barfoot, G. Basic, M. Beauchamp, M. Daly, H. Dong, R. Francis, P. Furgale, J. Gammell, N. Ghafoor, A. Lambert, K. Leung, M. Mader, C. Marion, E. McCullough, C. McManus, J. Moores, and L. Preston, “Planetary Surface Exploration Using a Network of Reusable Paths,” in Proceedings of the 43rd Lunar and Planetary Institute Science Conference (LPSC), The Woodlands, TX, USA, 2012, p. 2360.
[Bibtex]@conference{Stenning2012, Address = {The Woodlands, TX, USA}, author = {B Stenning and G R Osinski and T D Barfoot and G Basic and M Beauchamp and M Daly and H Dong and R Francis and P Furgale and J Gammell and N Ghafoor and A Lambert and K Leung and M Mader and C Marion and E McCullough and C McManus and J Moores and L Preston}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of the 43rd Lunar and Planetary Institute Science Conference (LPSC)}, Month = {19-23 March}, Pages = {2360}, Title = {Planetary Surface Exploration Using a Network of Reusable Paths}, Volume = {43}, Year = {2012}, Pdf = {http://asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~jdg/bib/stenning_lpsc12.pdf}}
- B. E. Stenning, G. R. Osinski, T. D. Barfoot, G. Basic, M. Beauchamp, M. Daly, R. Francis, P. Furgale, J. D. Gammell, N. Ghafoor, P. Jasiobedzki, A. Lambert, K. Leung, M. Mader, C. Marion, E. McCullough, C. McManus, J. Moores, and L. Preston, “Planetary Surface Exploration Using a Network of Reusable Paths: A Paradigm for Parallel Science Investigations,” in Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Automation in Space (i-SAIRAS), Turin, Italy, 2012.
[Bibtex]@conference{Stenning2012c, Address = {Turin, Italy}, author = {B E Stenning and G R Osinski and T D Barfoot and G Basic and M Beauchamp and M Daly and R Francis and P Furgale and J D Gammell and N Ghafoor and P Jasiobedzki and A Lambert and K Leung and M Mader and C Marion and E McCullough and C McManus and J Moores and L Preston}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Automation in Space (i-SAIRAS)}, Month = {4-6 September}, Title = {Planetary Surface Exploration Using a Network of Reusable Paths: A Paradigm for Parallel Science Investigations}, Year = {2012}, Pdf = {http://asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~jdg/bib/stenning_isairas12.pdf}}
- J. E. Moores, R. Francis, M. Mader, G. R. Osinski, T. Barfoot, N. Barry, G. Basic, M. Battler, M. Beauchamp, S. Blain, M. Bondy, R-D. Capitan, A. Chanou, J. Clayton, E. Cloutis, M. Daly, C. Dickinson, H. Dong, R. Flemming, P. Furgale, J. D. Gammell, N. Gharfoor, M. Hussein, R. Grieve, H. Henrys, P. Jaziobedski, A. Lambert, K. Leung, C. Marion, E. McCullough, C. McManus, C. D. Neish, H. K. Ng, A. Ozaruk, A. Pickersgill, L. J. Preston, D. Redman, H. Sapers, B. Shankar, A. Singleton, K. Souders, B. Stenning, P. Stooke, P. Sylvester, and L. Tornabene, “A mission control architecture for robotic lunar sample return as field tested in an analogue deployment to the Sudbury impact structure,” Advances in Space Research, special issue on “Lunar Exploration”, vol. 50, iss. 12, pp. 1666-1686, 2012.
[Bibtex]@article{Moores2012, Author = {John E. Moores and Raymond Francis and Marianne Mader and G.R. Osinski and T. Barfoot and N. Barry and G. Basic and M. Battler and M. Beauchamp and S. Blain and M. Bondy and R-D. Capitan and A. Chanou and J. Clayton and E. Cloutis and M. Daly and C. Dickinson and H. Dong and R. Flemming and P. Furgale and J. D. Gammell and N. Gharfoor and M. Hussein and R. Grieve and H. Henrys and P. Jaziobedski and A. Lambert and K. Leung and C. Marion and E. McCullough and C. McManus and C.D. Neish and H.K. Ng and A. Ozaruk and A. Pickersgill and L.J. Preston and D. Redman and H. Sapers and B. Shankar and A. Singleton and K. Souders and B. Stenning and P. Stooke and P. Sylvester and L. Tornabene}, Doi = {10.1016/j.asr.2012.05.008}, Journal = {Advances in Space Research, special issue on ``Lunar Exploration''}, Number = {12}, Pages = {1666-1686}, Publisher = {Pergamon}, Title = {A mission control architecture for robotic lunar sample return as field tested in an analogue deployment to the Sudbury impact structure}, Volume = {50}, Year = {2012}, Doi = {10.1016/j.asr.2012.05.008}, Pdf = {http://asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~jdg/sbib/moores_asr12.pdf}}
- T. D. Barfoot, B. Stenning, P. Furgale, and C. McManus, “Exploiting Reusable Paths in Mobile Robotics: Benefits and Challenges for Long-term Autonomy,” in Proceedings of the 9th Conference on Computer and Robot Vision (CRV), Toronto, Canada, 2012, p. 388–-395.
[Bibtex]@inproceedings{Barfoot2012, Address = {Toronto, Canada}, Author = {Barfoot, T.D. and Stenning, B. and Furgale, P. and McManus, C.}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of the 9th Conference on Computer and Robot Vision (CRV)}, Doi = {10.1109/CRV.2012.58}, Month = {28-30 May}, Pages = {388---395}, Title = {Exploiting Reusable Paths in Mobile Robotics: Benefits and Challenges for Long-term Autonomy}, Year = {2012}, Bdsk-Url-1 = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=6233167}, Bdsk-Url-2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/CRV.2012.58}}
- C. McManus, P. Furgale, B. Stenning, and T. D. Barfoot, “Visual Teach and Repeat using appearance-based lidar,” in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2012, pp. 389-396.
[Bibtex]@inproceedings{McManus2012a, Author = {McManus, C. and Furgale, P. and Stenning, B. and Barfoot, T.D.}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)}, Doi = {10.1109/ICRA.2012.6224654}, Month = {14-18 May}, Pages = {389-396}, Title = {Visual Teach and Repeat using appearance-based lidar}, Year = {2012}, Bdsk-Url-1 = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=6224654}, Bdsk-Url-2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICRA.2012.6224654}}
- J. Collier, M. Trentini, J. Giesbrecht, C. McManus, P. Furgale, B. Stenning, T. D. Barfoot, S. Se, V. Kotamraju, P. Jasiobedzki, L. Shang, B. Chan, A. Harmat, and I. Sharf, “Autonomous Navigation and Mapping in GPS-Denied Environments at Defence R&D Canada,” in Proceedings of NATO Symposium SET 168: Navigation Sensor and Systems in GNSS Denied Environments, Izmir, Turkey, 2012.
[Bibtex]@conference{Collier2012, Address = {Izmir, Turkey}, Author = {Collier, J. and Trentini, M. and Giesbrecht, J. and McManus, C. and Furgale, P. and Stenning, B. and Barfoot, T.D. and Se, S. and Kotamraju, V. and Jasiobedzki, P. and Shang, L. and Chan, B. and Harmat, A. and Sharf, I.}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of NATO Symposium SET 168: Navigation Sensor and Systems in GNSS Denied Environments}, Month = {8-9 October}, Title = {Autonomous Navigation and Mapping in GPS-Denied Environments at Defence R\&D Canada}, Year = {2012}}
2011
- C. McManus, “Visual Teach and Repeat Using Appearance-Based Lidar: A Method for Planetary Exploration,” M.A.Sc. Thesis PhD Thesis, 2011.
[Bibtex]@phdthesis{McManus2011c, Author = {McManus, C.}, School = {University of Toronto}, Title = {Visual Teach and Repeat Using Appearance-Based Lidar: A Method for Planetary Exploration}, Type = {M.A.Sc. Thesis}, Year = {2011}}
- C. McManus, P. Furgale, and T. D. Barfoot, “Towards appearance-based methods for lidar sensors,” in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Shanghai, China, 2011, pp. 1930-1935.
[Bibtex]@inproceedings{McManus2011a, Address = {Shanghai, China}, Author = {McManus, C. and Furgale, P. and Barfoot, T.D.}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)}, Doi = {10.1109/ICRA.2011.5980098}, Month = {9-11 May}, Pages = {1930-1935}, Title = {Towards appearance-based methods for lidar sensors}, Year = {2011}, Bdsk-Url-1 = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?arnumber=5980098}, Bdsk-Url-2 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICRA.2011.5980098}}
- C. McManus and T. D. Barfoot, “A Serial Approach to Handling High-Dimensional Measurements in the Sigma-Point Kalman Filter,” in Proceedings of Robotics Science and Systems (RSS), Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2011.
[Bibtex]@inproceedings{McManus2011b, Address = {Los Angeles, CA, USA}, Author = {McManus, C. and Barfoot, T.D.}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of Robotics Science and Systems (RSS)}, Month = {27-30 June}, Title = {A Serial Approach to Handling High-Dimensional Measurements in the Sigma-Point Kalman Filter}, Year = {2011}}
- J. E. Moores, R. Francis, T. Barfoot, N. Barry, G. Basic, M. Battler, M. Beauchamp, S. Blain, M. Bondy, R-D. Capitan, A. Chanou, J. Clayton, E. Cloutis, M. Daly, C. Dickinson, H. Dong, R. Flemming, P. Furgale, J. D. Gammell, N. Ghafoor, M. Hussein, R. Grieve, H. Henrys, P. Jaziobedski, A. Lambert, K. Leung, M. Mader, C. Marion, E. McCullough, C. McManus, C. D. Neish, H. K. Ng, A. Ozaruk, A. Pickersgill, L. J. Preston, D. Redman, H. Sapers, B. Shankar, A. Singleton, K. Souders, B. Stenning, P. Stooke, P. Sylvester, L. Tornabene, and G. R. Osinski, “Mission Operations Design for Lunar Sample Return as Field-Tested in an Analogue Deployment to the Sudbury Impact Structure,” in Proceedings of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC-DPS), Nantes, France, 2011, p. 1728.
[Bibtex]@conference{Moores2011, Address = {Nantes, France}, Author = {J.E. Moores and R. Francis and T. Barfoot and N. Barry and G. Basic and M. Battler and M. Beauchamp and S. Blain and M. Bondy and R-D. Capitan and A. Chanou and J. Clayton and E. Cloutis and M. Daly and C. Dickinson and H. Dong and R. Flemming and P. Furgale and J. D. Gammell and N. Ghafoor and M. Hussein and R. Grieve and H Henrys and P. Jaziobedski and A. Lambert and K. Leung and M. Mader and C. Marion and E. McCullough and C. McManus and C.D. Neish and H.K. Ng and A. Ozaruk and A. Pickersgill and L. J. Preston and D. Redman and H. Sapers and B. Shankar and A. Singleton and K. Souders and B. Stenning and P. Stooke and P. Sylvester and L. Tornabene and G. R. Osinski}, Booktitle = {Proceedings of the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC-DPS)}, Month = {2-7 October}, Pages = {1728}, Title = {Mission Operations Design for Lunar Sample Return as Field-Tested in an Analogue Deployment to the Sudbury Impact Structure}, Volume = {6}, Year = {2011}, Pdf = {http://asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~jdg/bib/moores_epsc11.pdf}}
2010
- C. McManus, “The Unscented Kalman Filter for State Estimation,” in Presented at the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) Workshop, 7th Canadian Conference on Computer Vision (CRV), 2010.
[Bibtex]@conference{McManus2010, Author = {McManus, C.}, Booktitle = {Presented at the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) Workshop, 7th Canadian Conference on Computer Vision (CRV)}, Title = {The Unscented Kalman Filter for State Estimation}, Year = {2010}}
2008
- C. McManus and T. D. Barfoot, “RAPIER: Long-Range Localization Study,” University of Toronto, ASRL-2008-CM001. Prepared for MDA Space Missions (under subcontract to the Canadian Space Agency, Exploration Study), 2008.
[Bibtex]@techreport{McManus2008, Author = {McManus, C. and Barfoot, T.D.}, Institution = {University of Toronto}, Number = {ASRL-2008-CM001. Prepared for MDA Space Missions (under subcontract to the Canadian Space Agency, Exploration Study)}, Title = {RAPIER: Long-Range Localization Study}, Year = {2008}}