Reactive navigation algorithm for wheeled mobile robots under non-holonomic constraints

Abstract

This paper presents a reactive navigation algorithm for wheeled mobile robots in an unknown environment populated by obstacles. The presented approach incorporates the dimensions and shape of the robot to determine the set of all possible collision-free steering angles. The steering angle that falls in the widest gap and is dosest to the target is selected. The next stage in the algorithm takes into account the non-holonomic constraints of differentially steered robots by computing circular trajectories with adaptive radius of curvature. Actual experimental tests on a real mobile robot are presented. The results demonstrate the algorithm capabilities of driving a mobile robot safely through different obstacles arrangements.