Fuzzy Logic in Autonomous Navigation

Abstract

The goal of autonomous mobile robotics is to build physical systems that can move purposefully and without human intervention in unmodified environments — that is, in real-world environments that have not been specifically engineered for the robot. The development of techniques for autonomous navigation constitutes one of the major trends in the current research on robotics. This trend is motivated by the current gap between the available technology and the new application demands. On the one hand, the techniques employed in current industrial robots lack the ability to provide flexibility and autonomy: typically, industrial robots perform pre-programmed sequences of operations in highly constrained environments, and are not able to operate in new environments or to face unexpected situations. On the other hand, there is a clear emerging market for truly autonomous robots. Possible applications include intelligent service robots for offices, hospitals, and factory floors; maintenance robots operating in hazardous or inaccessible areas; domestic robots for cleaning or entertainment; autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles for help to the disabled and the elderly; and so on.