Reflexive sonar-based navigation of intelligent robot manipulators in dynamic environments using fuzzy control

This paper presents intelligent robot motion planning based on fuzzy rules for the idea of artificial potential fields using analytic harmonic functions. The purpose of the fuzzy controller is to generate commands for the servo-systems of the robot so it can autonomously find its way to its goal, while reacting in real-time to unexpected events by using a specific active range finding device, i.e. an ultrasonic sensor. Sonar range data is used to build a description of the robot's surroundings. Range measurements are integrated using a robust method, which can cope with uncertainties and errors in the given data. The proposed approach is simple, computationally fast and applies to whole-arm collision avoidance for n d.o.f. arm manipulators. The stability of the overall closed-loop system composed by the nonlinear robot dynamics and the fuzzy controller is guaranteed by Lyapunov theory. Simulation results are provided to validate the theoretical concepts and a comparative analysis demonstrates the benefits of the proposed obstacle avoidance algorithm.

[1]  G. Beni,et al.  A Torque-Sensitive Tactile Array for Robotics , 1983 .

[2]  Donald Lee Pieper.  The kinematics of manipulators under computer control , 1968 .

[3]  Tomás Lozano-Pérez,et al.  Spatial Planning: A Configuration Space Approach , 1983, IEEE Transactions on Computers.

[4]  Ian Sommerville,et al.  LUCIE the robot excavator-design for system safety , 1996, Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[5]  J. Schwartz,et al.  On the Piano Movers' Problem: III. Coordinating the Motion of Several Independent Bodies: The Special Case of Circular Bodies Moving Amidst Polygonal Barriers , 1983 .

[6]  Ebrahim Mamdani,et al.  Applications of fuzzy algorithms for control of a simple dynamic plant , 1974 .

[7]  Peter I. Corke,et al.  A tutorial on visual servo control , 1996, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[8]  Zhihua Qu,et al.  Robust tracking control of robot manipulators , 1996 .

[9]  Avinash C. Kak,et al.  Vision-based navigation by a mobile robot with obstacle avoidance using single-camera vision and ultrasonic sensing , 1998, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[10]  Fei-Yue Wang,et al.  Fuzzy behavior integration and action fusion for robotic excavation , 1996, IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron..

[11]  Michio Sugeno,et al.  Fuzzy identification of systems and its applications to modeling and control , 1985, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[12]  Fei-Yue Wang,et al.  Autonomous Robotic Mining Excavation Using Fuzzy Logic and Neural Networks , 1995, J. Intell. Fuzzy Syst..

[13]  Pradeep K. Khosla,et al.  Real-time obstacle avoidance using harmonic potential functions , 1991, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[14]  Christopher I. Connolly.  Harmonic functions as a basis for motor control and planning , 1994 .

[15]  Peter Corke,et al.  VISUAL CONTROL OF ROBOT MANIPULATORS – A REVIEW , 1993 .

[16]  Vladimir J. Lumelsky,et al.  A sensitive skin system for motion control of robot arm manipulators , 1992, Robotics Auton. Syst..

[17]  Paul J. A. Lever,et al.  Intelligent Excavator Control System for Lunar Mining System , 1995 .

[18]  Vladimir J. Lumelsky,et al.  Real-time path planning procedure for a whole-sensitive robot arm manipulator , 1992, Robotica.

[19]  Vladimir J. Lumelsky,et al.  Real-time collision avoidance in teleoperated whole-sensitive robot arm manipulators , 1993, IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern..

[20]  Oussama Khatib,et al.  Real-Time Obstacle Avoidance for Manipulators and Mobile Robots , 1985, Autonomous Robot Vehicles.