Mobile robot guidance and navigation

Abstract

Autonomous robotic vehicle navigation relies on the vehicle being able to know where it is to an adequate degree of accuracy, and also to be able to sense the environment around it as required. The purpose of this project, Mobile Robot Guidance and Navigation, is to design and construct hardware to interface sensors to the steering system of a mobile (wheel or track articulated) robotic vehicle. Lab commissioning and field trials have shown the vehicle to be able to navigate over rough terrain while maintaining directional control. Electronic compass resolution is 0.1 degrees, and maintains good stability when it is mounted clear of interfering devices when kept horizontal or error correction implemented. Electronic compass based control for high-speed sub second positioning control is a practical way of maintaining stable control between longer interval GPS correction data.