Robotic mapping with simple sensing and processing hardware — Algorithm and architecture

Abstract

This paper considers the problem of generating a map of an indoor environment by a mobile robot when constraints are placed on sensing and processing hardware. In particular, we present an algorithm for Voronoi diagram generation by a mobile robot equipped merely with inexpensive ultrasonic sensors and a low-end Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) device. The algorithm is based on the definition of the Voronoi diagram in terms of the perpendicular-bisector. Deviations from the Voronoi diagram of the (reference) point on the robot are corrected by a novel algorithm that is devoid of division and floating-point operations. An efficient architecture and experiments with an FPGA-based robot are also presented.