Neural fields for complex behavior generation on autonomous robots

Abstract

In this paper we investigate how neural fields can generate complex behavior in mobile robot navigation. A case study is presented in which a mobile robot endowed with sonars and a laser scanner performs the behaviors <i xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">target-acquisition</i> , <i xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">obstacle-avoidance</i> , and <i xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">subtarget-selection</i> . The design of these behaviors as well as their coordination are achieved through correct choice of stimulus parameters on the field. We describe the approach in theoretical terms, supported by experimental results.