Indoor Navigation System of Omni-Directional Mobile Robot Based on Static Obstacles Avoidance

Abstract

This paper introduces and establishes an autonomous indoor navigation guidance system for the Omni-directional mobile robot along with a static obstacles avoidance. The mobile robot is fitted with a Kinect camera as the key sensor to operate in an indoor environment. The proposed navigation guidance system has three main functions; target searching for actions, avoidance of collision, and position. The target searching for actions uses fuzzy Proportional-Derivative (PD) controller to adjust the robot-heading angle to the target point. The collision avoidance consists of a controller that is designed to provide the robot with the proper heading angle to avoid collision with obstacles. Concerning the confinement, two strategies for position are implemented. The primary strategy uses encoders and compass sensor as a feedback signal, while the second strategy uses Kinect sensor in a combination with odometry to distinguish landmarks spots and to right robot position as required. An in-house built three wheeled Omni-directional mobile robot platform is designed to validate the proposed navigation guidance system. The results demonstrate the robot platform ability to navigate to its target autonomously with a minimal error, and to avoid collision with static obstacles.