A Flexible Real-Time Control System for Autonomous Mobile Robots

• Main Authors: Chia-How Lin, 林嘉豪
• Other Authors: Kai-Tai Song
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/f4p72q

碩士 === 國立交通大學 === 電機與控制工程系所 === 92 === This thesis studies an agent-based approach to developing a flexible real-time robot control system. The main purpose of the system is to integrate heterogeneous algorithms and control methods while still guarantee real-time responding of robotic behaviors. The balance between generality and flexibility is also considered. The proposed architecture facilitates a robot research team to divide a complex control system into agents according to various functions. Therefore, the development can be carried out simultaneously in parallel and integrated in a latter phase. Moreover, the programs can share limited hardware resources onboard the robot. The system also provides a real-time message delivery and decision making mechanism, which help the designers to concentrate on the development of individual algorithm: The software framework of the system is realized using a Linux platform equipped with Real Time Application Interface (RTAI). An agent template is provided with scalability and compatibility to port and integrate heterogeneous programs. Finally, the control system has been tested using a laboratory mobile robot to realize environmental exploration, visual tracking, and a two-robot-cooperation. Experiment results verify the effectiveness of the proposed architecture.