A mobile robot and its trajectory control algorithm

To provide a test-bed for research on many topics in the field of autonomous mobile robots, a manipulator attached to autonomous mobile service robot is being developed in the authors´ laboratory. The designed robot, equipped with multiple sensors, driving mechanisms, computers and DC power sources, etc., is expected to navigate in an indoor environment automatically. Two arms mounted on the mobile robot base are able to manipulate the object. There are many potential applications such as hospital service robot, mail delivery, aid for a disabled person, autonomous vehicle on the factory floor and assistance in a hazardous environment. The design concepts and the implementation of trajectory control of the mobile robot using a step-motion concept are introduced. A recursive trajectory control algorithm is proposed and confirmed by experiments. Comparison of its characters with other methods is also presented.