DVZ-based obstacle avoidance control of a wheelchair mobile robot

This paper addresses the control problem of unicycle mobile robot evolving in unknown environments using reactive behaviours. The deformable Virtual Zone (DVZ) principle is used to resolve this problem through defining a safety zone around the vehicle. This approach presents fast control laws that react depending on the presence of an obstacle in the safety zone. Experimental tests are carried out on a wheelchair mobile robot and proved the effectiveness of the studied method.