Sensor information space for robust mobile robot path planning

This paper introduces a new approach to robust path planning for mobile robots entirely based on information from environment perception sensors. This method avoids the use of odometry which leads to the accumulation of errors resulting from the robot's position computing. We proceed as follows: we create regions inside which the robot detects the same obstacle segments. A node graph represents all the regions and their links. Then a planning algorithm is used to find a path which joins a start to a goal region. The final stage consists in applying a robust robot motion control as regards the uncertainties of the environment model. This approach contributes to a control system for indoor robots which is environment referenced. The sensors we deal with are first a continuous laser or ultrasonic scanning system, then a discrete ultrasonic belt whose limits of use we show.