Probabilistic Algorithms in Robotics

Abstract

This article describes a methodology for programming robots known as probabilistic robotics. The probabilistic paradigm pays tribute to the inherent uncertainty in robot perception, relying on explicit representations of uncertainty when determining what to do. This article surveys some of the progress in the field, using in-depth examples to illustrate some of the nuts and bolts of the basic approach. My central conjecture is that the probabilistic approach to robotics scales better to complex real-world applications than approaches that ignore a robot’s uncertainty. Building autonomous robots is a centralobjective of research in AI. Over the pastdecades, researchers in AI have developed a range of methodologies for developing robotic software, ranging from model-based to pure-