AUTONOMOUS GROUND VEHICLE LOW-PROFILE OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE USING 2D LIDAR
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Authors
Miyakawa, Alexander S.
Subjects
navigation
ROS
LIDAR
autonomous
robot
terrain classification
ground vehicle
MATLAB
laser
nonholonomic
obstacle avoidance
obstacle detection
ROS
LIDAR
autonomous
robot
terrain classification
ground vehicle
MATLAB
laser
nonholonomic
obstacle avoidance
obstacle detection
Advisors
Yun, Xiaoping
Calusdian, James
Date of Issue
2019-09
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
In future conflicts, the United States Marine Corps will augment the capabilities of the individual Marine with autonomous vehicles able to traverse a wide range of terrain. The objective of this thesis is to investigate the ability of an autonomous ground vehicle to use two-dimensional (2D) down-looking Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) to avoid low-profile obstacles. The robot performs three primary tasks: localization, obstacle detection, and control. Optical flow sensors and a Global Navigation Satellite System/Inertial Navigation System accurately localize the robot. The obstacle detection algorithm combines 2D LIDAR sweeps to form a three-dimensional (3D) map and classifies obstacles by terrain gradient. The control algorithm navigates around obstacles to waypoints with turns constrained by a minimum radius. In simulation, the control algorithm navigated several obstacle fields but was not generalizable for any arbitrary obstacle field. In experimental testing, the vehicle successfully navigated around low-profile obstacles including books, stairs, and cones. The test configurations included single obstacles, inside corners, and corridors. The system was proven capable of accurate localization, 3D obstacle detection, and navigation under the nonholonomic minimum-turn-radius constraint. Future research efforts could improve the vehicle by increasing the execution speed of the main control loop, adding 3D LIDARs, and improving the multi-point turn algorithm.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.