Set-point Control of Mobile Robot with Obstacle Detection and Avoidance Using Navigation Function - Experimental Verification

This paper presents the results of an experimental verification of mobile robot control algorithm including obstacle detection and avoidance. The controller is based on the navigation potential function that was proposed in work (Urakubo, Nonlinear Dyn. 81(3), 1475–1487 2015). Conducted experiments considered the task of reaching and stabilization of robot in point. The navigation potential agregates information of robot position and orientation but also the repelling potentials of obstacles. The obstacle detection is performed solely with the use of laser scanner. The experiments show that the method can easily handle environments with one or two obstacles even if they instantly hide or show-up due to the scanner range limits. The experiments also indicate that the utilized control method has a good potential for being used in parallel parking task.