Obstacle avoidance for a mobile robot

Abstract

Obstacle Avoidance for a Mobile Robot A notorious problem in mobile obstacle avoidance is the detection and avoidance of obstacles. This thesis evaluates several well-known methods for controlling the motion of a mobile robot in an unknown dynamic environment. One of these methods, the Global Dynamic Window Approach, is selected and, using a laser range finder as the only range sensor, the method is implemented and tested on a mobile robot platform, a Pioneer 2 from ActivMedia. The result showed that the method is indeed an effective way for detecting and avoiding obstacles in real-time, in out-door tests the robot has traversed obstacle courses at velocities up to 1.2 metres per second. The method however showed to have some drawbacks; and should be combined with a higher-level algorithm that directs the robot to the best path.