Fuzzy multiobjective decision making for navigation of mobile robots in dynamic, unstructured environments

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Smith, Earl B. | Langari, Reza

Affiliations: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3123, USA

Note: [] Corresponding author: Tel.: +1 979 845 6918; Fax: +1 979 845 3081; E-mail: rlangari@tamu.edu

Abstract: In this work we apply the notion of fuzzy multi-objective decision making to the problem of navigation of mobile robots in unstructured environments such as lunar and planetary surfaces and military zones. In particular the proposed approach is concerned with multi-objective decision making in a dynamic setting where limited a priori information, say only a coarse image of the robot surroundings may be available. To this end, the proposed approach first constructs a coarse motion plan and subsequently employs a sensor-based navigation scheme based on fuzzy multi-objective decision making to detect any intervening obstacles, dynamically define its objectives and preferences based on the relative locations of the obstacles, and move towards is goal. This process is comparable to human decision-making where an initial assessment of the surroundings and one's own sensing capability provide the basis for navigating and moving around in unstructured environments. In particular it is shown that the proposed approach offers a viable alternative to existing approaches to mobile robotics by providing a flexible architecture for addressing the complexity of motion planning and navigation in dynamic environments.

Journal: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 95-108, 2003