Scarecrow: An Implementation of Behavioral Control on a Mobile Robot

James R. Talbott; Tracy L. Anderson; Max Donath

doi:10.1117/12.969894

1 March 1990 Scarecrow: An Implementation of Behavioral Control on a Mobile Robot

James R. Talbott, Tracy L. Anderson, Max Donath

Proceedings Volume 1195, Mobile Robots IV; (1990) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.969894
Event: 1989 Symposium on Visual Communications, Image Processing, and Intelligent Robotics Systems, 1989, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Abstract

Traditional planning and programming techniques for mobile robot control do not do well in unknown and unstructured environments. The successful implementation of a control strategy for an autonomous mobile robot is presented where the motion of the vehicle is strictly based upon the integrated response of multiple uncoupled primitive reflexive behaviors which incorporate no planning. We previously demonstrated the resulting motion of a robot based upon this approach by using computer simulation. Those results show that such a robot is capable of performing many relatively complex tasks in unknown environments, with only a limited set of such primitive behaviors. In this paper, the hardware and software implementation issues required to bring these concepts into reality on an actual machine are discussed. These issues include range sensor interfacing, communications between multiple on board processors, real time control within an object-oriented environment, robot safety, and robustness in the presence of sensor error. The resulting motion of an actual mobile robot, Scarecrow, is then compared with the simulation results for a number of different higher level behaviors. The observed behavior was found to be similar to that predicted by simulation, despite significant sensor limitations.

Citation Download Citation

James R. Talbott, Tracy L. Anderson, and Max Donath "Scarecrow: An Implementation of Behavioral Control on a Mobile Robot", Proc. SPIE 1195, Mobile Robots IV, (1 March 1990); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.969894

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available