A novel wireless mesh network for indoor robotic navigation

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel approach for indoor navigation systems suitable for autonomous robots using specially designed and implemented programmable Radio-Frequency beacons. These Radio-Frequency beacons are connected to each other to form an Ad-Hoc wireless mesh network and, through a newly developed network protocol which we call Dynamically Flooded Mesh Protocol, a dynamic node can be traced and its position can be localized. Practical applications include typical navigation systems for various indoor uses such as assisting rehabilitation robots to locate patients in a hospital environment.