Navigation Using Local Landmarks in a Corridor Environment

Abstract

We propose a robot navigation using local landmarks and topological maps to make robots easy to use. To popularize the use of robots in the home and welfare institutions, robots must be easy for anyone to use. Conventional robots are generally expensive to implement due to extensive preparation such as providing maps with Cartesian coordinates and setting precise environmental landmarks called “setup costs [1].” For robots to navigate precisely, they must measure locations precisely, which may require sensors with high precision and sophisticated computing, e.g., to compensate for accumulated error caused by wheel slippage. Approaches without position coordinate make difficult, but we solve the problem using a user-friendly robot with inaccurate sensors and unsophisticated computing – “human” approach.