Using a Differential Global Positioning System and Electronic Compass for Autonomous Robotic Navigation and Postioning

摘要

This paper describes the design, implementation and test of a path-planning algorithm for the Spiral Track Autonomous Robot (STAR). The STAR is a low-cost multi-terrain mobile robotic platform being developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for deploying sensors into hazardous environments. One of the more critical hazardous environments is that of known landmine incidents. The environment is highly volatile due to the unpredictable locations of buried landmines. To reduce the risk to human personnel involved in demining operations and to improve on the operational efficiency of demining tasks, LLNL engineers are employing Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) technology in combination with Electronic Compass information to generate autonomous navigation and positioning data for unmanned demining operations. The information provided by the DGPS and the electronic compass is used to guide the STAR to cover 100% of a user defined rectangular area by serving as the primary data acquisition hardware for positioning, heading, and path planning. The strategy to guide the robot over the desired search area is using a matrix of nodes that breaks the user defined search area into one meter grids. Each of these grids are represented by a node that contains the position information of that node (the calculated longitude and latitude) and the magnetic compass heading the robot should be facing to get to the next node. Using this scheme the robot can thoroughly cover a defined area. Tests of the algorithm are currently being planned in addition to the integration of the necessary mine-sensing technology for complete autonomous demining operations.