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A safe area search and map building algorithm for a wheeled mobile robot in complex unknown cluttered environments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2017

Andrey V. Savkin  and
Hang Li Open the ORCID record for Hang Li [Opens in a new window]
Andrey V. Savkin
Affiliation:
School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Hang Li*
Affiliation:
School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
*
*Corresponding Author. E-mail:hang.li1@student.unsw.edu.au
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Summary

In this paper, a safe map building and area search algorithm for a mobile robot in a closed unknown environment with obstacles is presented. A range finder sensor is used to detect the environment. The objective is to perform a complete search of the environment and build a complete map of it while avoiding collision with the obstacles. The developed robot navigation algorithm is randomized. It is proved that with probability 1 the robot completes its task in a finite time. Computer simulations and experiments with a real Pioneer-3DX robot confirm the performance of the proposed method.

Keywords

Area searchMappingObstacle avoidanceSafe robot navigationUnknown cluttered environmentsWheeled mobile robotsRobotic search and rescue

Information

Type
Articles
Information
Robotica , Volume 36 , Issue 1 , January 2018 , pp. 96 - 118
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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