Sonar-Based Rover Navigation for Single or Multiple Platforms: Forward Safe Path and Target Switching Approach

In this paper, we have proposed a sensor fusion scheme along with the geometrical modeling of mobile robot navigation path in an unknown environment. In this scheme, the physical placement of sonars, their ranging limits and beam opening angles are considered. A simple 2-D axis transformation is proposed to relate local robot frame with the actual navigation environment. forward safe path (FSP) and target switching approach (TSA) are proposed for efficient obstacle avoidance and target tracking of mobile robot. FSP greatly simplifies the environment conditions as sensed by the robot and also provides minimum turning path during avoidance of obstacles. This method also removes the ldquooscillationrdquo in the mobile robot navigation path. TSA technique gives highest priority on the target tracking during the obstacle avoidance and seeks minimum distance path towards the target. These methods remove unnecessary turning of mobile robot during navigation. A scheme for target directional motion is also proposed. So, mobile robot takes the minimum turning path required towards the target. These methods also ensure the avoidance of ldquodead cycle problemrdquo. These schemes are successfully implemented on a model of PatrolBot mobile robot from ActivMedia Robotics. The overview of current research work on multi-domain robotic system namely system-of-systems is also presented. This paper also describes the Global Positioning System-based navigation of rovers. Results of real-time experiments with Pioneer II P2AT-8 from ActivMedia are included in this paper to show the future aspect of this research work.