Quadruped robot trotting over irregular terrain assisted by stereo-vision

Legged robots have the potential to navigate in challenging terrain, and thus to exceed the mobility of wheeled vehicles. However, their control is more difficult as legged robots need to deal with foothold computation, leg trajectories and posture control in order to achieve successful navigation. In this paper, we present a new framework for the hydraulic quadruped robot HyQ, which performs goal-oriented navigation on unknown rough terrain using inertial measurement data and stereo-vision. This work uses our previously presented reactive controller framework with balancing control and extends it with visual feedback to enable closed-loop gait adjustment. On one hand, the camera images are used to keep the robot walking towards a visual target by correcting its heading angle if the robot deviates from it. On the other hand, the stereo camera is used to estimate the size of the obstacles on the ground plane and thus the terrain roughness. The locomotion controller then adjusts the step height and the velocity according to the size of the obstacles. This results in a robust and autonomous goal-oriented navigation over difficult terrain while subject to disturbances from the ground irregularities or external forces. Indoor and outdoor experiments with our quadruped robot show the effectiveness of this framework.     

Probabilistic Road Map sampling strategies for multi-robot motion planning

This paper presents a Probabilistic Road Map (PRM) motion planning algorithm to be queried within Dynamic Robot Networks—a multi-robot coordination platform for robots operating with limited sensing and inter-robot communication.

First, the Dynamic Robot Networks (DRN) coordination platform is introduced that facilitates centralized robot coordination across ad hoc networks, allowing safe navigation in dynamic, unknown environments. As robots move about their environment, they dynamically form communication networks. Within these networks, robots can share local sensing information and coordinate the actions of all robots in the network.

Second, a fast single-query Probabilistic Road Map (PRM) to be called within the DRN platform is presented that has been augmented with new sampling strategies. Traditional PRM strategies have shown success in searching large configuration spaces. Considered here is their application to on-line, centralized, multiple mobile robot planning problems. New sampling strategies that exploit the kinematics of non-holonomic mobile robots have been developed and implemented. First, an appropriate method of selecting milestones in a PRM is identified to enable fast coverage of the configuration space. Second, a new method of generating PRM milestones is described that decreases the planning time over traditional methods. Finally, a new endgame region for multi-robot PRMs is presented that increases the likelihood of finding solutions given difficult goal configurations.

Combining the DRN platform with these new sampling strategies, on-line centralized multi-robot planning is enabled. This allows robots to navigate safely in environments that are both dynamic and unknown. Simulations and real robot experiments are presented that demonstrate: (1) speed improvements accomplished by the sampling strategies, (2) centralized robot coordination across Dynamic Robot Networks, (3) on-the-fly motion planning to avoid moving and previously unknown obstacles and (4) autonomous robot navigation towards individual goal locations.     

Reinforcement learning-based group navigation approach for multiple autonomous robotic systems

In several complex applications, the use of multiple autonomous robotic systems (ARS) becomes necessary to achieve different tasks, such as foraging and transport of heavy and large objects, with less cost and more efficiency. They have to achieve a high level of flexibility, adaptability and efficiency in real environments. In this paper, a reinforcement learning (RL)-based group navigation approach for multiple ARS is suggested. Indeed, the robots must have the ability to form geometric figures and navigate without collisions while maintaining the formation. Thus, each robot must learn how to take its place in the formation, and avoid obstacles and other ARS from its interaction with the environment. This approach must provide ARS with the capability to acquire the group navigation approach among several ARS from elementary behaviors by learning with trialand-error search. Then, simulation results display the ability of the suggested approach to provide ARS with capability to navigate in a group formation in dynamic environments. With its cooperative behavior, this approach makes ARS able to work together to successfully fulfill the desired task.     

Fuzzy logic techniques for navigation of several mobile robots

In this paper, navigation techniques for several mobile robots as many as one thousand robots using fuzzy logic are investigated in a totally unknown environment. Fuzzy logic controllers (FLC) using different membership functions are developed and used to navigate mobile robots. First a fuzzy controller has been used with four types of input members, two types of output members and three parameters each. Next two types of fuzzy controllers have been developed having same input members and output members with five parameters each. Each robot has an array of ultrasonic sensors for measuring the distances of obstacles around it and an infrared sensor for detecting the bearing of the target. These techniques have been demonstrated in various exercises, which depicts that the robots are able to avoid obstacles as well as negotiate the dead ends and reach the targets efficiently. Amongst the techniques developed, FLC having Gaussian membership function is found to be most efficient for mobile robots navigation.     

Navigation of mobile robot by using D++ algorithm

The navigation of mobile robots is a vital aspect of technology in robotics. We applied the D++ algorithm, which is a novel and improved path-planning algorithm, to the navigation of mobile robots. The D++ algorithm combines Dijkstra??s algorithm with the idea of a sensor-based method, such that Dijkstra??s algorithm is adapted to local search, and the robot can determine its next move in real-time. Although the D++ algorithm frequently runs local search with limited ranges, it can compute optimum paths by expanding the size of the searching range to avoid local minima. In addition, we verified the performance of the D++ algorithm by applying it to a real robot in a number of environments. The use of the D++ algorithm enables robots to navigate efficiently in unknown, large, complex and dynamic environments.     

Visual navigation and obstacle avoidance using a steering potential function

Humans have a remarkable ability to navigate using only vision, but mobile robots have not been nearly as successful. We propose a new approach to vision-guided local navigation, based upon a model of human navigation. Our approach uses the relative headings to the goal and to obstacles, the distance to the goal, and the angular width of obstacles, to compute a potential field over the robot heading. This potential field controls the angular acceleration of the robot, steering it towards the goal and away from obstacles. Because the steering is controlled directly, this approach is well suited to local navigation for nonholonomic robots. The resulting paths are smooth and have continuous curvature. This approach is designed to be used with single-camera vision without depth information but can also be used with other kinds of sensors. We have implemented and tested our method on a differential-drive robot and present our experimental results.     

Robot Navigation by Waypoints

In this paper we propose a novel waypoint-based robot navigation method that combines reactive and deliberative actions. The approach uses reactive exploration to generate waypoints that can then be used by a deliberative system to plan future movements through the same environment. The waypoints are used largely to provide the interface between reactive and deliberative navigation and a range of methods could be used for either type of navigation. In the current work, an incremental decision tree method is used to navigate the robot reactively from the specified initial position to its destination avoiding obstacles in its path and a genetic algorithm method is used to perform the deliberative navigation. The new method is shown to have a number of practical advantages. Firstly, in contrast with many deliberative approaches, complete knowledge of the environment is not required, nor is it necessary to make assumptions regarding the geometry of obstacles. Secondly, the presence of a reactive navigator means it is always possible to continue directed movements in unknown or changing environments or when time constraints become particularly demanding. Thirdly, the use of waypoints allows escape from certain obstacle configurations that would normally trap robots navigated under the control of purely reactive methods. In addition, the results presented in this paper from a number of realistic simulated environments show that the adoption of waypoints significantly reduces the time to calculate a deliberative path.     

Navigation of Mobile Robots Using a Fuzzy Logic Controller

This paper describes a mobile robot navigation control system based on fuzzy logic. Fuzzy rules embedded in the controller of a mobile robot enable it to avoid obstacles in a cluttered environment that includes other mobile robots. So that the robots do not collide against one another, each robot also incorporates a set of collision prevention rules implemented as a Petri Net model within its controller. The navigation control system has been tested in simulation and on actual mobile robots. The paper presents the results of the tests to demonstrate that the system enables multiple robots to roam freely searching for and successfully finding targets in an unknown environment containing obstacles without hitting the obstacles or one another.     

Navigating mobile robots with a modular neural architecture

Neural architectures have been proposed to navigate mobile robots within several environment definitions. In this paper a new neural modular constructive approach to navigate mobile robots in unknown environments is presented. The problem, in its basic form, consists of defining and executing a trajectory to a pre-defined goal while avoiding all obstacles, in an unknown environment. Some crucial issues arise when trying to solve this problem, such as an overflow of sensorial information and conflicting objectives. Most neural network (NN) approaches to this problem focus on a monolithic system, i.e., a system with only one neural network that receives and analyses all available information, resulting in conflicting training patterns, long training times and poor generalisation. The work presented in this article circumvents these problems by the use of a constructive modular NN. Navigation capabilities were proven with the NOMAD 200 mobile robot.     

Robot Navigation Based on Discrimination of Artificial Fields: Application to Single Robots

The paper introduces a method for local navigation of mobile robots based on the discrimination of multiple artificial fields, which correspond to targets, obstacles, robots and, if this is the case, robot collectives. Instead of just adding up all potentials, the robot discerns the pertinent potentials at its location and applies a set of motion decisions at each moment. Satisfactory results are obtained. This is the first paper of a more extensive work dealing with individual robots, unorganized groups of robot and robot formations. Here, the method is introduced, with examples for a single robot and for several independent robots.     

Sensor-Based Motion Planning of Wheeled Mobile Robots in Unknown Dynamic Environments

This paper presents a new sensor-based online method for generating collision-free paths for differential-drive wheeled mobile robots pursuing a moving target amidst dynamic and static obstacles. At each iteration, the set of all collision-free directions are calculated using velocity vectors of the robot relative to each obstacle, forming the Directive Circle (DC), which is the fundamental concept of our proposed method. Then, the best feasible direction close to the optimal direction to the target is selected from the DC, which prevents the robot from being trapped in local minima. Local movements of the robot are governed by the exponential stabilizing control scheme that provides a smooth motion at each step, while considering the robot’s kinematic constraints. The robot is able to catch the target at a desired orientation. Extensive simulations demonstrated the efficiency of the proposed method and its success in coping with complex and highly dynamic environments with arbitrary obstacle shapes.     

Routing-based navigation of dense mobile robots

In the future, many teams of robots will navigate in home or office environments, similar to dense crowds operating currently in different scenarios. The paper aims to route a large number of robots so as to avoid build-up of congestions, similar to the problem of route planning of traffic systems. In this paper, first probabilistic roadmap approach is used to get a roadmap for online motion planning of robots. A graph search-based technique is used for motion planning. In the literature, typically the search algorithms consider only the static obstacles during this stage, which results in too many robots being scheduled on popular/shorter routes. The algorithm used here therefore penalizes roadmap edges that lie in regions with large robot densities so as to judiciously route the robots. This planning is done continuously to adapt the path to changing robotic densities. The search returns a deliberative trajectory to act as a guide for the navigation of the robot. A point at a distant of the deliberative path becomes the immediate goal of the reactive system. A ‘centre of area’-based reactive navigation technique is used to reactively avoid robots and other dynamic obstacles. In order to avoid two robots blocking each other and causing a deadlock, a deadlock avoidance scheme is designed that detects deadlocks, makes the robots wait for a random time and then allows them to make a few random steps. Experimental results show efficient navigation of a large number of robots. Further, routing results in effectively managing the robot densities so as to enable an efficient navigation.     

Altruistic coordination for multi-robot cooperative pathfinding

When multiple robots perform tasks in a shared workspace, they might be confronted with the risk of blocking each other’s ways, which will lead to conflicts or interference among them. Planning collision-free paths for all the robots is a challenge for a multi-robot system, which is also known as the multi-robot cooperative pathfinding problem in which each robot has to navigate from its starting location to the destination while keeping avoiding stationary obstacles as well as the other robots. In this paper, we present a novel fully decentralized approach to this problem. Our approach allows robots to make real-time responses to dynamic environments and can resolve a set of benchmark deadlock situations subject to complex spatial constraints in a shared workspace by means of altruistic coordination. Specifically, when confronted with congested situations, each robot can employ waiting, moving-forwards, dodging, retreating and turning-head strategies to make local adjustments. Most importantly, each robot only needs to coordinate and communicate with the others that are located within its coordinated network in our approach, which can reduce communication overhead in fully decentralized multi-robot systems. In addition, experimental results also show that our proposed approach provides an efficient and competitive solution to this problem.     

未知环境中移动机器人实时导航与避障的分层模糊控制

为了解决单模糊控制器的“规则库爆炸”问题,设计了一种分层的模糊控制器,用于指导移动机器人通过未知环境到达指定的目标点．控制器根据8个超声传感器的信息和目标相对于机器人的方位确定机器人的运动．首先,每个超声传感器的信息被输入到危险度模糊控制器（DFC）中,产生关于周围环境中障碍物危险度的模糊向量．这些模糊向量经过融合与归一化处理后分别输入到上层的速度模糊控制器（VFC）和角速度模糊控制器（RFC）的推理机中．VFC根据目标的距离和障碍物的危险度控制机器人的前进速度．RFC根据目标的方向和障碍物的危险度控制机器人的转向,并采用最大隶属度法的反模糊化策略解决“对称不确定”问题．仿真与实验结果证明了所设计的模糊控制器简单而有效．     

Navigation of multiple mobile robots in a highly clutter terrains using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system

In recent years, the interest in research on robots has increased extensively; mainly due to avoid human to involve in hazardous task, automation of Industries, Defence, Medical and other household applications. Different kinds of robots and different techniques are used for different applications. In the current research proposes the Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) Controller for navigation of single as well as multiple mobile robots in highly cluttered environment. In this research it has tried to design a control system which will be able decide its own path in all environmental conditions to reach the target efficiently. Some other requirement for the mobile robot is to perform behaviours like obstacle avoidance, target seeking, speed controlling, knowing the map of the unknown environments, sensing different objects and sensor-based navigation in robot’s environment.     

Adaptive mapping and navigation by teams of simple robots

We present a technique for mapping an unknown environment and navigating through it using a team of simple robots. Minimal assumptions are made about the abilities of the robots on a team. We assume only that robots can explore the environment using a random walk, detect the goal location, and communicate among themselves by transmitting a single small integer over a limited distance and in a direct line of sight; additionally, one designated robot, the navigator, can track toward a team member when it is nearby and in a direct line of sight. We do not assume that robots can determine their absolute (x, y) positions in the environment to be mapped, determine their positions relative to other team members, or sense anything other than the goal location and the transmissions of their teammates. In spite of these restrictive assumptions, we show that for moderate-sized teams in complex environments the time needed to construct a map and then navigate to a goal location can be competitive with the time needed to navigate to the goal along an optimal path formed with perfect knowledge of the environment. In other words, collective mapping enables navigation in an unmapped environment with only modest overhead. This basic result holds over a wide range of assumptions about robot reliability, sensor range, tracking ability.

We then describe an extended mapping algorithm that allows an existing map to be efficiently corrected when a goal location changes. We show that a robot team using the algorithm is adaptive, in the sense that its performance will improve over time, whenever navigation goals follow certain regular patterns.     

Self-organization of unicycle swarm robots based on a modified particle swarm framework

In this paper, an attempt has been made to incorporate some special features in the conventional particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique for unicycle robots with line of sight. The modified particle swarm framework (MPSF) for the self-organization of unicycle swarm robots is proposed and studied. The framework explores the benefits by dynamic associations with the proposed MPSF to realize complex swarming behaviors. In this scheme, out of sights by obstacles or neighbor robots are considered when a robot moves to a target. Each robot self-organizes to flock to the best robot in the swarm seen in its sight and migrates to a moving target while avoiding collision with obstacles and neighboring robots through the interaction of robots with line of sight. The resulting MPSF is advantageous for practical implementations since it is used for robots, even in cases where a target is blocked by obstacles or robots. Extensive simulation is presented to illustrate the viability and effectiveness of the proposed framework.     

基于强化学习和模糊逻辑的移动机器人导航

自主导航是移动机器人的一项关键技术。该文采用强化学习结合模糊逻辑的方法实现了未知环境下自主式移动机机器人的导航控制。文中首先介绍了强化学习原理,然后设计了一种未知环境下机器人导航框架。该框架由避碰模块、寻找目标模块和行为选择模块组成。针对该框架,提出了一种基于强化学习和模糊逻辑的学习、规划算法：在对避碰和寻找目标行为进行独立学习后,利用超声波传感器得到的环境信息进行行为选择,使机器人在成功避碰的同时到达目标点。最后通过大量的仿真实验,证明了算法的有效性。     

基于激光雷达的动态障碍物实时检测

动态障碍的存在直接影响到环境地图的构建精度,可靠实时地检测出动态障碍物是未知环境下移动机器人构建环境地图的根本前提。基于2D激光雷达传感器,提出了一种移动机器人在未知环境下实时检测动态障碍物的方法。将激光雷达的观测数据经过滤波映射到世界坐标系,构建相邻采样时刻的三幅栅格地图;判断相邻时刻三幅栅格地图上对应栅格的占用状态,确定环境中的静态障碍物,以静态障碍物为参考,根据当前的栅格地图可以检测出环境中的动态障碍物。基于激光雷达时空关联性分析,采用八邻域滚动窗口的方法处理不确定性因素。在实际移动机器人MORCS-1上进行的实验结果表明,该方法可使移动机器人准确有效地检测出未知环境中的动态障碍物,实时性好,可靠性高。