Robot localization without any sensors

Is it possible to localize a robot without any sensors, odometer and servo motors?

Assume robot has dc motors and no obstacles.

• Its quite vague description of what you need. You can locate any object with triangulation. Object needs to have a way to detect at least three indoor beacons. Accuracy depends on technology used. If you need to track the robot position, it is hard to do without any sensors. With aceelerometer you could calculate the directional vector and probably determine location.. Aug 23 '15 at 10:26
• Can you give more information localization using three indoor beacons? Any article or tutorial will be helpful. Aug 23 '15 at 15:18
• @ronroo Can you give more details of your application? As stated your question is very vague and would be hard to help other users. By definition you would need at least one sensor to get any feedback, even a beacon is technically a sensor. Aug 24 '15 at 3:44
• @aerophilic you are right! But I will create a new topic for my application which uses sensors and cameras. But for this topic I was trying to explore solution without any sensor. Aug 24 '15 at 10:06
• I have created a new topic here, any explaination will be helpful. robotics.stackexchange.com/questions/7928/… Aug 24 '15 at 11:24

If you know the wheel radius and the speed of the robot, you will be able to calculate its location at any time relatively to its initial position.

travelled_distance = Speed * time;
current_position = initial_position + travelled_distance;


This is a simplified 1-dimensional equation than can help you. But keep in mind that without sensors and odometry the localization can't be very accurate.

• This is typically called dead-reckoning.
– Ben
Aug 23 '15 at 12:30
• Hi thanks for this, any solution for turning? Without sensor I think it will not be accurate. Aug 23 '15 at 15:28
• Turning depends on the motion model of your robot, is it differential ? Aug 24 '15 at 20:25